Receiving device, receiving method, transmitting device, and transmitting method

1. A reception apparatus, comprising:

a receiver; and

circuitry configured to

receive audio/video content;

acquire first control information that identifies application control information to control operation of an application run in conjunction with the audio/video content;

acquire a first element in which the application control information identified by the first control information is stored, the first element including a time associated with a specific segment of the audio/video content;

acquire a second element in which application control information identified by second control information is stored, the second element including a newer version of the first element and the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content and included in the first element; and

control the operation of the application in response to the application control information that is identified by the second control information and stored in the second element, wherein

the second control information includes an identifier of the first element.

2. The reception apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second control information and the first control information include different information.

3. The reception apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the first control information and the second control information are transmitted in a data stream together with the audio/video content,

the first element and the second element are delivered via a network, and

the circuitry is configured to

extract the first control information and the second control information from the data stream, and

acquire the first element and the second element via the network.

4. The reception apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the audio/video content is transmitted by a broadcast,

the first element and the second element are delivered via a network,

the circuitry is configured to

extract a feature from data of the audio/video content,

acquire the first control information and the second control information corresponding to an identification result of the audio/video content identified by using the feature, and

acquire the first element and the second element via the network.

5. The reception apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein

the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content is associated with an action in the second element, and

the circuitry is configured to control the operation of the application in response to the action in the second element based on time information included in the second control information.

6. The reception apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to

acquire the first control information and the second control information from a digital television broadcast signal that includes the audio/video content, and

acquire the first element from a computer network.

7. A method of a reception apparatus for controlling operation of an application, the method comprising:

receiving audio/video content;

acquiring first control information that identifies application control information to control the operation of the application run in conjunction with the audio/video content;

acquiring, by circuitry of the reception apparatus, a first element in which the application control information identified by the first control information is stored, the first element including a time associated with a specific segment of the audio/video content;

acquiring a second element in which application control information identified by second control information is stored, the second element including a newer version of the first element and the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content and included in the first element; and

controlling, by the circuitry, the operation of the application in response to the application control information that is identified by the second control information and stored in the second element, wherein

the second control information includes an identifier of the first element.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the second control information and the first control information include different information.

9. A transmission apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter; and

circuitry configured to

generate first control information and second control information that identify application control information to control operation of an application run in conjunction with audio/video content; and

transmit the first control information and the second control information together with the audio/video content, wherein

the first control information causes a reception apparatus that receives the first control information to acquire a first element in which the application control information identified by the first control information is stored, the first element including a time associated with a specific segment of the audio/video content, and

the second control information causes the reception apparatus to acquire a second element in which application control information identified by the second control information is stored, the second element including a newer version of the first element and the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content and included in the first element, wherein

the second control information includes an identifier of the first element.

10. The transmission apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the second control information and the first control information include different information.

11. The transmission apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the first control information and the second control information are transmitted in a data stream together with the audio/video content, and

the first element and the second element are delivered via a network.

12. The transmission apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content is associated with an action in the second element, and

the operation of the application is controlled in response to the action in the second element based on time information included in the second control information.

13. The transmission apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein

the circuitry is configured to transmit a digital television broadcast signal that includes the first control information, the second control information, and the audio/video content, and

the first element and the second element are acquired from a computer network.

14. A method of a transmission apparatus for transmitting information, the method comprising:

generating, by processing circuitry of the transmission apparatus, first control information and second control information that identify application control information to control operation of an application run in conjunction with audio/video content; and

transmitting, by a transmitter of the transmission apparatus, the first control information and the second control information together with the audio/video content, wherein

the first control information causes a reception apparatus that receives the first control information to acquire a first element in which the application control information identified by the first control information is stored, the first element including a time associated with a specific segment of the audio/video content, and

the second control information causes the reception apparatus to acquire a second element in which application control information identified by the second control information is stored, the second element including a newer version of the first element and the time associated with the specific segment of the audio/video content and included in the first element, wherein

the second control information includes an identifier of the first element.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the second control information and the first control information include different information.