Patent ID: 8001208

Claim:
A single broadcast receiving apparatus having a plurality of devices with specific functions controlled based on a request from an application program received via a broadcast, the single broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: a receiver, in the single broadcast receiving apparatus, that receives a broadcast signal which includes an application program and audio visual (AV) data; an extractor, in the single broadcast receiving apparatus, that extracts the application program included in the received broadcast signal; a program executor, in the single broadcast receiving apparatus, that executes the extracted application program; a device manager, in the single broadcast receiving apparatus, that manages the plurality of devices included inside the single broadcast receiving apparatus; and an audio visual data processor, in the single broadcast receiving apparatus, that processes the AV data included in the received broadcast signal, wherein the device manager includes: a device identifier notifier that notifies the application program of identifier device identifiers that each identify a corresponding one of the plurality of devices included inside the single broadcast receiving apparatus, based on the request from the application program executed by the program executor; and an information path setter that, when the application program which has been notified by the device identifier notifier designates at least two devices from among the plurality of devices included inside the single broadcast receiving apparatus, and sets an information transfer path between the designated at least two devices, the audio visual data processor is configured to process the AV data included in the received broadcast signal using the designated at least two devices between which the information transfer path has been set, and the information path setter sets an information transfer path in a designated sequence between devices having a plurality of device identifiers designated by the application program, wherein the device manager further includes a device shareability notifier that notifies the application program of whether or not a device specified by a device identifier designated by the application program can be set in a plurality of information transfer paths, wherein the device shareability notifier notifies the application program of whether or not a device specified by a device identifier designated by the application program can be set in a plurality of information transfer paths, by sending notice of a maximum number of information transfer paths in which the device can be set in.