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Streaming content receiving apparatus and playback apparatus with stopping of reception of second streaming data during period in which first streaming program is selected

Streaming content receiving apparatus and playback apparatus with stopping of reception of second streaming data during period in which first streaming program is selected description/claims

The present invention relates to a receiving apparatus for processing signals for playing back programs and a playback apparatus using the receiving apparatus.

Television receivers and radio receivers are conventionally known as program playback apparatuses. Arrangements for transmitting and receiving programs across networks are also known. In an arrangement like this, programs can be played back by a computer having a function of transmitting and receiving data across a network. Streaming is one technique which distributes video and audio programs across networks. That is, streaming is a technology by which one side transmits data such as video and audio data and at the same time the other side receives and plays back the transmitted data across the Internet or an intranet.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-309258 has as its object to quickly output images in response to television channel switching instructions, and discloses a technique which selects data corresponding to television channels adjacent to a television channel to be received, and decompresses video and audio signals in parallel.

The present inventor made extensive studies on an arrangement by which when video and/or audio programs to be watched and/or listened to are switched, the newly selected program can be immediately played back. As a consequence, the present inventor found that while a predetermined program is being selected, if the reception of signals for playing back programs different from the selected program is started, any of these programs can be immediately played back. In particular, the present inventor found that in order to realize this arrangement, storage control for storing signals for playing back programs different from the selected program is important. It is an object of the present invention to realize favorable program change by performing novel control.

According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a receiving apparatus comprising: a receiver that receives a signal for playing back a program; a storage device that stores the signal received by said receiver; and a controller that, during a period in which a first program is selected, starts control for starting reception of a signal for playing back a second program different from the first program, and, when a predetermined portion of signals for playing back the second program is stored in said storage device during the period in which the first program is selected, stops reception of another portion of the signals for playing back the second program.

According to the present invention, the foregoing object is also attained by providing a receiving apparatus comprising: a receiver that receives a signal for playing back a program; a storage device that stores the signal received by said receiver; and a controller that, during a period in which a first program is selected, performs control for receiving signals for playing back second and third programs different from the first program, wherein storage capacities allocated to store the signals for playing back the second and third programs during the period in which the first program is selected are different.

The foregoing object is also attained by providing a program playback apparatus comprising: the above receiving apparatus; and a perceiving apparatus for playing back a program on the basis of a signal received by said receiving apparatus.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system including a broadcasting receiving apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing transactions among servers and the broadcasting receiving apparatus during streaming playback;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the broadcasting receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a data storage process according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of a program table according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are views for explaining the distance on the program table according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the allocation of buffer amounts according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a graph showing the allocation of buffer amounts according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

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• Utility Patent

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