Receiving apparatus and receiving method

Abstract

A receiving apparatus according to the present invention includes a receiving unit for receiving television broadcasts and a communication unit for receiving streaming broadcasts via a network. A guide information producing unit produces guide information for displaying a program guide for television broadcast programs and a program guide for streaming broadcast programs on the same screen. An outputting unit outputs to a display device image data on the television broadcasts, image data on the streaming broadcasts, and the guide information.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A receiving apparatus comprising: 
 receiving means for receiving broadcast content;    guide information producing means for producing guide information on the broadcast content and for outputting the guide information to a display device;    relevant information acquisition means for acquiring, via a network, relevant information on an operation for receiving the broadcast content by the receiving means; and    control means for controlling the guide information producing means so as to change a display mode of the guide information in accordance with the relevant information acquired by the relevant information acquisition means.    
     
     
         2 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the relevant information comprises information required for receiving a predetermined type of broadcast content from among a plurality of types of broadcast content, and 
 wherein the control means controls the guide information producing means so as to display guide information on the predetermined type of broadcast content.    
     
     
         3 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the relevant information is a software module for receiving the predetermined type of broadcast content.  
     
     
         4 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of types of broadcast content are distributed from respective types of media.  
     
     
         5 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the plurality of types of broadcast content include television broadcast content that is distributed via television broadcast waves and streaming broadcast content that is distributed via the network, and 
 wherein the receiving means comprises at least one tuner for receiving the television broadcast waves and communication connection means for connecting to the network.    
     
     
         6 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control means detects the type of broadcast content that is receivable by the receiving means on the basis of the relevant information, and 
 wherein the control means controls the guide information producing means so as to change the display mode of the guide information in accordance with the detected results.    
     
     
         7 . A receiving apparatus comprising: 
 receiving means for receiving broadcast content;    relevant information acquisition means for acquiring, via a network, relevant information on an operation for selecting the broadcast content by the receiving means; and    control means for changing a function of the operation for receiving the broadcast content performed by the receiving means in accordance with the relevant information acquired by the relevant information acquisition means.    
     
     
         8 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the control means changes search functions for a plurality of the broadcast content in accordance with the relevant information.  
     
     
         9 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the control means changes a reservation function for receiving the broadcast content in accordance with the relevant information.  
     
     
         10 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising selecting means for selecting desired relevant information from among a plurality of the relevant information, wherein the relevant information acquisition means acquires relevant information selected by the selecting means.  
     
     
         11 . A receiving apparatus comprising: 
 receiving means for receiving television broadcasts;    communication means for receiving streaming broadcasts via a network;    guide information producing means for producing guide information for displaying a program guide for television broadcast programs and a program guide for streaming broadcast programs on the same screen; and    outputting means for outputting to a display device image data on the television broadcasts, image data on the streaming broadcasts, and the guide information.    
     
     
         12 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 selecting means for selecting a desired program using the guide information displayed on the display device; and    control means for controlling the receiving means, the communication means, and the outputting means so as to output image data on a program selected by the selecting means to the display device.    
     
     
         13 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the guide information producing means produces guide information for displaying the television broadcast programs and the streaming broadcast programs in the same format in one program list.  
     
     
         14 . A receiving apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising selecting means for selecting a desired program by moving a cursor image for selecting a display area from among a plurality of program display areas in the program list between display areas of the television broadcast programs and display areas of the streaming broadcast programs.  
     
     
         15 . A method for receiving broadcast content, comprising: 
 a guide information producing step of producing guide information on the broadcast content and of outputting the guide information to a display device;    a relevant information acquiring step of acquiring, via a network, relevant information on an operation for receiving the broadcast content by receiving means; and    a controlling step of controlling guide information producing means so as to change a display mode of the guide information in accordance with relevant information acquired by relevant information acquiring means.    
     
     
         16 . A method for receiving broadcast content, comprising: 
 a relevant information acquiring step of acquiring, via a network, relevant information on an operation for selecting the broadcast content; and    a controlling step of changing a function of the operation for receiving the broadcast content in accordance with the relevant information acquired in the relevant information acquiring step.    
     
     
         17 . A method for receiving television broadcasts by receiving means and for receiving streaming broadcasts by communication means via a network, comprising: 
 a guide information producing step of producing guide information for displaying a program guide for television broadcast programs and a program guide for streaming broadcast programs on the same screen; and    an outputting step of outputting to a display device image data on the television broadcasts, image data on the streaming broadcasts, and the guide information.