BROADCASTING RECEIVING APPARATUS AND METHOD

According to one embodiment, a broadcasting receiving method includes: informing a server storing content data of data related to a display size of a screen and acquiring the content data according to the display size; generating display data obtained by combining the contents data with a moving image, with a display size based on layout information included in the acquired contents data; and performing image processing on the display data for being displayed on the screen to output the display data on which the image processing is performed, wherein when a ratio of a display area of the moving image with respect to the screen is a predetermined value or more based on the display size of the moving image based on the layout information, downscaling an image based on the content data to generate display data obtained by combining the moving image with the downscaled image.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, according to one embodiment, a broadcasting receiving apparatus comprises: a receiver configured to receive distributed moving image data; an acquisition module configured to inform a server configured to store therein content data to be combined with the moving image data of data related to a display size of a screen and acquire the content data according to the display size from the server; a combination module configured to generate display data obtained by combining the acquired contents data with the received moving image data, with a display size based on layout information comprised in the acquired contents data; and an output module configured to perform image processing on the generated display data for being displayed on the screen to output the generated display data on which the image processing is performed, wherein when a ratio of a display area of the moving image data with respect to the screen is a predetermined value or more based on the display size of the moving image data based on the layout information comprised in the acquired content data, the acquisition module informs the server of data related to a display size that is smaller than the display size of the screen and reacquires the content data with a smaller size than the display size of the screen and the combination module generates display data obtained by combining the reacquired contents data with the received moving image data based on the reacquired content data.

Hereinafter, a broadcasting receiving apparatus and method according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a receiving apparatus200according to a first embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the receiving apparatus200is a piece of equipment that receives program content such as moving image data101that a content service provider (CSP)100such as a broadcaster distributes (broadcasts) via a broadcasting antenna401. Specifically, the receiving apparatus200may be a television receiver, HDD recorder, set-top box, or the like. In the present embodiment, the receiving apparatus200as a television receiver that performs display on a display panel300with 4096×2160 pixels (4K) will be described. The moving image data that the CSP100distributes is supposed to have a display size of 2048×1080 pixels (2K) (the size here means the magnitude of the number of pixels).

The CSP100not only distributes the moving image data101by the broadcasting antenna401, but also provides a service as a communication-broadcasting integrated service. Specifically, the CSP100prepares HTML content102for content (a graphic image) that is combined with the moving image data101and displayed in a server (not illustrated) and in response to a request from the receiving apparatus200, transmits the HTML content stored in the server via a communications network402.

In the HTML content102, layout information such as the display size, display position, and display contents (text contents or the uniform resource locator (URL) of a still image) of the graphic image such as text and still images that are displayed as various types of screen information and layout information such as the display size and display position of the moving image data101are written with tags in the HTML format or the like. By analyzing the layout information written in the HTML content102, therefore, display data can be generated in which the graphic image and moving image are combined and displayed at a predetermined position.

The receiving apparatus200comprises a receiver210, an AP220, and a BEP230. The receiver210receives the moving image data101that the CSP100broadcasts via the broadcasting antenna401and separates it into content information and moving image data to be output to the AP220.

Specifically, the receiver210comprises an antenna211, a tuner212, a demultiplexer213, and a decoder214. The tuner212receives the moving image data101that is broadcast from the broadcasting antenna401via the antenna211. The demultiplexer213separates the received moving image data101into the content information related to a moving image and encoded moving image data. The decoder214decodes the encoded moving image data. The separated content information and the decoded moving image data are output to the AP220.

The separated content information may include information indicating the distribution source (the server) of the HTML content102(for example, the URL of the server) distributed from the CSP100via the communication-broadcasting integrated service. When the information indicating the distribution source of the HTML content102is included in the content information, therefore, the HTML content102to be combined with the moving image data101and displayed can be acquired by requesting the HTML content102from the distribution source.

The AP220performs general-purpose processing in the receiving apparatus200. Specifically, the AP220comprises a communications I/F221, an input I/F222, an output I/F223, a CPU224, a decoder225, and a GPU226.

The communications I/F221performs the transmission and reception of data via the communications network402. The input I/F222receives the inputting of data (the content information and moving image data) from the receiver210. The output I/F223outputs display data (that will be described in detail) to the BEP230. The central processing unit (CPU)224expands a program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) into a random access memory (RAM) to successively run them, thereby centrally controlling the operation of the receiving apparatus200(the ROM and RAM are not illustrated). The decoder225, under the control of the CPU224, performs decoding on various types of data. The graphics processing unit (GPU)226, under the control of the CPU224, performs various types of image processing. Specifically, the GPU226performs image processing that combines the graphic image and the moving image data101to generate the display data, scaling processing on the graphic image and the moving image data101under being combined, or the like.

For example, when the information indicating the distribution source of the HTML content102is not included in the content information, because of not being a communication-broadcasting integrated service, the AP220outputs the moving image data input from the receiver210as it is as the display data to the BEP230.

When the information indicating the distribution source of the HTML content102is included in the content information, because of being a communication-broadcasting integrated service, the AP220requests the HTML content102from the distribution source of the CSP100connected via the communications network402to acquire the HTML content102. Then, the AP220analyzes the layout information written with tags in the HTML format or the like in the acquired HTML content102and generates the display data for displaying the graphic image and the moving image data input from the receiver210on a screen of the display panel300with the display size and display position based on the layout information.

The BEP230performs image processing on the display data from the AP220for displaying it on the screen of the display panel300. The display data with the image processing performed is output to the display panel300. Specifically, the BEP230comprises an image processor231, a frame rate converter (FRC)232, and a panel I/F233.

The image processor231performs image processing according to the display panel300on the display data. Specifically, when the display size in the display data from the AP220is less than the display size of the display panel300, scaling processing according to the display size of the display panel300is performed. Because in the scaling processing in the image processor231, unlike scaling processing generally performed by the GPU226of the AP220, pixel interpolation according to the characteristics (brightness or display pitch) of the display panel300or pixel interpolation using the super-resolution technique are performed, an image with higher quality than that in the case of the scaling processing by the GPU226can be obtained. The image processor231improves the image quality of the display data through the conversion of pixel values according to the characteristics (brightness or display pitch) of the display panel300.

The FRC232performs frame rate conversion processing that converts the frame rate of the input display data into a predetermined frame rate. The panel I/F233outputs the display data after being subjected to the image processing and the frame rate conversion processing by the image processor231and the FRC232to the display panel300.

Although the example inFIG. 1exemplifies a configuration in which the moving image data101is distributed by broadcasting via the broadcasting antenna401, the distribution of the moving image data101is not limited to broadcasting. Specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 2, the receiving apparatus may be a receiving apparatus200acomprising a receiver210athat receives the moving image data101broadcast via the communications network402. The receiver210areceives the moving image data101broadcast to the communications network402via a communications I/F215connected to the communications network402.

Next, the operation of the receiving apparatuses200,200ain the case of a communication-broadcasting integrated service will be described.FIG. 3is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the receiving apparatus in the first embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG. 3, in the case of a communication-broadcasting integrated service in which the information indicating the distribution source of the HTML content102is included in the content information, the AP220refers to setting information stored in advance in the ROM or the like, informs the CSP100of the screen size (display size) of the display panel 300=4K (S1), and acquires the HTML content102according to 4K from the server of the CSP100(S2).

Informing of the screen size at S1is performed by informing the server with information related to the screen size included in the header of an HTTP request. Specifically, information such as “X-video resolution: width=3840; height=2160” is added to the header of the HTTP request. By analyzing this header, the server recognizes the display size (resolution) as 3840×2160, and the HTML content102according to the recognized resolution is returned to the receiving apparatuses200,200a.

The AP220then analyzes the layout information written with tags in the HTML format in the HTML content102and compares the resolution (display size) of the moving image on the HTML content102with the screen size of the display panel300(S3).

For example, suppose that the following tags are included in the HTML content102.

At S3, by analyzing the above-described tags, it is revealed that the resolution (display size) of the moving image “sample.mp4” is 3840×2160.

Then, based on the comparison result at S3, the AP220determines whether the ratio of the display area of the moving image with respect to the screen (screen) of the display panel300is a predetermined threshold set in advance as setting information or more (S4).

When the ratio of the display area of the moving image with respect to the screen of the display panel300is the predetermined threshold (for example, ¼) or more (Yes at S4), the scaling (upscaling) of the moving image data101is required before the moving image data101is combined with the 4K HTML content102according to the display size of the display panel300. In the case of Yes at S4, accordingly, the AP220informs the CSP100of a screen size (display size)=2K, which is smaller than the actual screen size (4K) of the display panel300(S5), and reacquires the HTML content102according to 2K from the server of the CSP100(S6).

Although the present embodiment is an example in which 2K, which does not require the upscaling of the moving image data101before being combined, as a screen size that is smaller than the actual screen size (4K) of the display panel300, the screen size to be informed is not limited to 2K. For example, the screen size to be informed may be one that does not require the upscaling of the moving image data101before being combined or one in which the number of pixels interpolated by the general-purpose upscaling in the GPU226is small and scaling (upscaling) is performed to the extent that the roughness of image quality is less remarkable.

When the ratio of the display area of the moving image with respect to the screen of the display panel300is not the predetermined threshold (for example, ¼) or more (No at S4), the scaling (upscaling) of the moving image data101is not required before the 2K moving image data101is combined with the 4K HTML content102according to the screen size of the display panel300. For example, when the ratio of the display area of the moving image with respect to the screen is less than ¼, all things to do is down convert . The predetermined threshold may be a value in which the number of pixels interpolated by the general-purpose upscaling in the GPU226is small and scaling (upscaling) is performed to the extent that the roughness of image quality is less remarkable. In the case of No at S4, accordingly, the AP220reacquires the HTML content102according to 4K from the server of the CSP100(S7).

The AP220generates display data with the graphic image of the HTML content102acquired at S6or S7and the moving image data101combined and outputs it to the BEP230. The BEP230performs the above-described image processing on the display data generated by the AP220and outputs it to the display panel300.

The AP220then, based on the layout information of the HTML content102or the like, determines the presence or absence of the switching of the display size of the moving image in the moving image data101(S8), and waits for the next processing until the switching of the display sized of the moving image is present (Yes at S8). When the switching of the display size of the moving image is present, the AP220returns the processing to S3.

FIG. 4is a schematic view exemplifying a layout of display data by the HTML content102. As illustrated inFIG. 4, the layout of a display image Ga combines a moving image G1in a display area of nearly the entire screen of the HTML content displaying a graphic image G2. The layout of a display image Gb combines a moving image G1ain a display area of nearly ¼ of the HTML content displaying the graphic image G2.

First, operation when the HTML content102is the layout of the display image Ga will be described.FIG. 5is schematic view exemplifying an operational outline of the receiving apparatuses200,200ain the first embodiment, and more specifically, a view exemplifying an operational outline when the HTML content102is the layout of the display image Ga.

As illustrated inFIG. 5, for the layout displaying the moving image G1in the display area of nearly the entire screen, HTML content (2K)102bis reacquired from the server of the CSP100at S6. The AP220therefore combines the moving image data101and a graphic image of the HTML content (2K)102b,without performing the upscaling of the moving image data101, thereby allowing 2K display data103to be generated. Then, the BEP230performs image processing such as scaling, image quality improvement, and FRC on the 2K display data103and outputs 4K display data104to the display panel300. Therefore, general-purpose upscaling is not performed on the moving image data101on the AP220side, but upscaling is performed thereon on the BEP230side specializing in the display on the display panel300. The receiving apparatuses200,200acan therefore display higher quality moving images on the display panel300.

Then, operation when the HTML content102is the layout of the display image Gb will be described.FIG. 6is a schematic view exemplifying an operational outline of the receiving apparatuses200,200ain the first embodiment, and more specifically, a view exemplifying an operational outline when the HTML content102is the layout of the display image Gb.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, for the layout displaying the moving image G1ain the display area of nearly ¼, HTML content (4K)102ais reacquired from the server of the CSP100at S7. The AP220therefore combines the moving image data101after performing scaling (downscaling or upscaling to the extent that the roughness of image quality is less remarkable) thereon and the graphic image of the HTML content (4K)102a,thereby allowing 4K display data103to be generated. Then, the BEP230performs image processing such as scaling, image quality improvement, and FRC on the 4K display data103and outputs the 4K display data104to the display panel300.

FIG. 7is a flowchart illustrating a modification of the operation of the receiving apparatuses200,200ain the first embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 7, in this modification, in place of the above-described S4, it is determined whether the display size of the moving image data101is the Full (entire) screen display (S4a). When it is the Full (entire) screen display (Yes at S4a), the AP220informs the CSP100of a size that is smaller than the display size of the display panel300(4K), or specifically, a display size that does not require the upscaling of the moving image data101before being combined with the graphic image in the AP220(for example, 2K) (S5) and acquires the HTML content (2K)102b(S6).

The AP220therefore combines the moving image data101and the graphic image of the HTML content (2K)102b,without performing the upscaling of the moving image data101, thereby allowing the 2K display data103to be generated. Then, the BEP230performs image processing such as scaling, image quality improvement, and FRC on the 2K display data103and outputs the 4K display data104to the display panel300. Therefore, general-purpose upscaling is not performed on the moving image data101on the AP220side, but upscaling is performed thereon on the BEP230side specializing in the display on the display panel300. The receiving apparatuses200,200acan therefore display higher quality moving images on the display panel300.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is different in that not reacquiring the HTML content (2K)102bwhen the ratio of the display area of the moving image with respect to the screen of the display panel300is a predetermined threshold (for example, ¼) or more (Yes at S4) or when the display size of the moving image data101is the Full (entire) screen display (Yes at S4a) as the above-described first embodiment (seeFIGS. 3 and 7) and that in the case of YES at S4and S4a,the HTML content (4K)102ais downscaled to 2K to be combined with the moving image data101.

FIG. 8is a schematic view exemplifying an operational outline of the receiving apparatuses200,200aaccording to the second embodiment. As illustrated inFIG. 8, in the case of YES at S4and S4a,the AP220downscales the graphic image based on the layout information of the HTML content (4K)102ato 2K. In this downscaling, the AP220acquires a parameter103arelated to the downscaling including a parameter related to downscaling, information on an area in which the graphic image is present, or the like and informs the BEP230of it. Then, the AP220combines the downscaled 2K HTML content (graphic image) and the 2K moving image data101to generate the 2K display data103. In the process, because of the downscaling to the 2K HTML content, the AP220combines the 2K moving image data101without upscaling it.

Then, the BEP230performs image processing such as scaling, image quality improvement, and FRC on the 2K display data103and outputs the 4K display data104to the display panel300. Therefore, general-purpose upscaling is not performed on the moving image data101on the AP220side, but upscaling is performed thereon on the BEP230side specializing in the display on the display panel300. The receiving apparatuses200,200acan therefore display higher quality moving images on the display panel300.

In this scaling (upscaling), the parameter103athat the AP220acquired in the downscaling may be reflected in the scaling processing. Specifically, scaling processing suitable for graphic images such as text and still images is performed based on a parameter related to downscaling, information on an area in which the graphic image is present, or the like included in the parameter103a.By thus performing upscaling based on the parameter103athat the AP220acquired in the downscaling, the graphic image in the HTML content that was once downscaled to 2K can be restored as a higher quality 4K graphic image.

The above-described first and second embodiments are examples and may be appropriately changed, as long as being configured so that the general-purpose upscaling is not performed on the moving image data101on the AP220side, but upscaling is performed thereon on the BEP230side specializing in the display on the display panel300. For example, content to be combined with the moving image data101is not be limited to HTML content in which layout information is written in the HTML format. The moving image data101and the graphic images of the HTML content (4K)102aand the HTML content (2K)102bmay be transmitted to the BEP230independently of each other, and the combination of the moving image data101and the graphic images of the HTML content (4K)102aand the HTML content (2K)102bmay be performed in the BEP230.

The display size of the display panel300is not be limited to 4K, and any size as long as having higher resolution than the display size of the moving image data101that is being generally distributed (2K) may be used. For example, it may be quad full high definition (QFHD) (3840×2160 pixels), ultra high definition (7680×4320 pixels), or the like.

A program to be run on the receiving apparatuses200,200aof the present embodiments is incorporated into a ROM or the like in advance to be provided. The program to be run on the receiving apparatuses200,200aof the present embodiments may be configured to be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, flexible disk (FD), CD-R, and digital versatile disk (DVD) as a file in an installable form or an executable form.

Furthermore, the program to be run on the receiving apparatuses200,200aof the present embodiments maybe configured to be stored on a computer that is connected to a network such as the Internet and to be provided by being downloaded through the network. The program to be run on the receiving apparatuses200,200aof the present embodiments may be configured to be provided or distributed through a network such as the Internet.

The program to be run on the receiving apparatuses200,200aof the present embodiments is a module configuration including the above-described functional configuration, and as actual hardware, a CPU (processor) reads out the program from the ROM and run it, thereby allowing the above-described functional configuration to be downloaded into a main storage and generated on the main storage.