IP Library Granted Patent US 9,955,219
Granted Patent B2
US 9,955,219 · App. 15/038,516 · Granted Apr 24, 2018

Reception device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,955,219
App. No.
15/038,516
Granted
Apr 24, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to a reception device that can select an optimal component. The reception device includes a first reception unit that receives a video or audio component transmitted on a broadcast wave, a second reception unit that receives a video or audio component distributed via a network, and a control unit that controls the operation of each unit. The control unit selects the optimal video or audio component from a plurality of video and audio components that the reception device can receive.

Claims (44)

1. A reception device comprising:

a first receiver receiving first and second broadcast components transmitted on a broadcast wave;

a second receiver receiving first and second communication components distributed via a communication network; and

a control circuitry configured to control operation of the first receiver and the second receiver,

wherein the first broadcast component and the first communication component belong to a first category, the second broadcast component and the second communication component belong to a second category, each of the first and second categories has a layer structure including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer,

in the third layer, the control circuitry is configured to select the first broadcast component or the first communication component,

in the second layer, the control circuitry is configured to synthesize the component selected in the third layer and a component that is not to be selected in the third layer into a first component,

in the first layer, the control circuitry is configured to select a component selected in the third layer, the component that is not to be selected in the third layer, or the first component synthesized in the second layer, as a second component, and

the control circuitry is configured to select the second component and is configured to select a third component from the second category, the third component from the second category being selected by performing at least one of selection and synthesis of the second broadcast component and the second communication component.

2. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the third layer, the control circuitry selects a component at an optimal bit rate from the first broadcast component and the first communication component at different bit rates depending on variations in Carrier or Noise (C/N) of the first broadcast signal or congestion of the first communication channel in the third layer.

3. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the second layer, the control circuitry is configured to synthesize the first broadcast component or the first communication component working as a base layer and the other one of the first broadcast component and the first communication component working as an extended layer.

4. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein

in the first layer, the control circuitry selects the second component in accordance with throughput of the reception device.

5. The reception device according to claim 1 , wherein components in different categories are linked to each other with a view tag.

6. A reception method with a reception device, the method comprising:

causing the reception device

to receive first and second broadcast components transmitted on a broadcast wave,

to receive first and second communication component distributed via a communication network, and

to control operation of the first receiver and the second receiver,

the first broadcast component and the first communication component belong to a first category, the second broadcast component and the second communication component belong to a second category, each of the first and second categories has a layer structure including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer,

in the third layer, the controlling including selecting the first broadcast component or the first communication component,

in the second layer, the controlling including synthesizing the component selected in the third layer and a component that is not to be selected in the third layer into a first component, and

in the first layer, the controlling including selecting a component selected in the third layer, the component that is not to be selected in the third layer, or the first component synthesized in the second layer, as a second component; and

causing the reception device

to select the second component and to select a third component from the second category, the third component from the second category being selected by performing at least one of selection and synthesis of the second broadcast component and the second communication component.

7. A transmission device comprising:

a generation circuitry that generates control information including information about a layer structure including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer in a category when first and second broadcast components transmitted on a broadcast wave and first and second communication components distributed via a communication network have the layer structure; and

a transmitter that transmits the control information together with the first and second broadcast components,

wherein, in the third layer, a reception device that receives the first and second broadcast components and the first and second communication components selects the first broadcast component or the first communication component,

in the second layer, the reception device synthesizes the component selected in the third layer and a component that is not to be selected in the third layer into a first component, and

in the first layer, the reception device selects a component selected in the third layer, the component that is not to be selected in the third layer, or the first component synthesized in the second layer.

8. The transmission device according to claim 7 , wherein, in the third layer, the reception device selects a component at an optimal bit rate from the first broadcast component and the first communication component at different bit rates.

9. The transmission device according to claim 7 , wherein, in the second layer, the reception device synthesizes the first broadcast component or the first communication component working as a base layer and the other one of the first broadcast component and the first communication component working as an extended layer to extend the base layer.

10. The transmission device according to claim 7 , wherein, in the first layer, the reception device selects the second component in accordance with throughput of the reception device.

11. The transmission device according to claim 7 , wherein components in different categories are linked to each other with a view tag.

12. A transmission method with a transmission device, the method comprising:

causing the transmission device

to generate control information including information about a layer structure including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer in a category when first and second broadcast components transmitted on a broadcast wave and first and second communication components distributed via a communication network have the layer structure, and

to transmit the control information together with the first and second broadcast components,

in the third layer, a reception device receives the first and second broadcast components and the first and second communication components selects the first broadcast component or the first communication component,

in the second layer, the reception device synthesizes the component selected in the third layer and a component that is not to be selected in the third layer into a first component, and

in the first layer, the reception device selects a component selected in the third layer, the component that is not to be selected in the third layer, or the first component synthesized in the second layer.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2025
From: SATURN LICENSING LLC
To: INTERDIGITAL MADISON PATENT HOLDINGS, SAS
Reel/Frame 071157/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: SONY CORPORATION
To: SATURN LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 044171/0491 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2016
From: KITAZATO, NAOHISA; YAMAGISHI, YASUAKI
To: SONY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 038775/0909 →