Information processing with flexibility in interpretation of a standard is disclosed. In one example, an output unit adds additional information related to the BB packet to output the BB packet to a baseband (BB) packet after an error correction decoding process. The additional information includes at least one of a delimiter, a precision time protocol (PTP), or BB packet information. The BB packet information includes at least one of information indicating whether or not reception of the BB packet is stable, information indicating whether or not there is an error in the BB packet, a packet length of the BB packet, a relative physical layer pipe (PLP) ID of the BB packet, or an absolute PLPID of the BB packet.

Measuring and tracking user interaction with a television receiver, such as a set top box or cable box. The television receiver may create and display a matrix code that includes temporal information, user identification information, geographic information, and/or a user selection. The matrix code may be captured by a matrix reading device and transmitted to a monitoring entity. Optionally, the matrix reading device may decode the matrix code and transmit associated data to the monitoring entity. The monitoring entity may use the code or data to track and distinguish between user interactions at different points in time.

A transmitting system includes a variable-length packet multiplexing apparatus and a transmission slotting apparatus. The variable-length packet multiplexing apparatus generates a variable-length packet. The transmission slotting apparatus stores the variable-length packet in slots forming transmission main signals. The transmission slotting apparatus includes a capacity calculator, an extractor, a remainder calculator, a selector, and a slot information multiplexer. The capacity calculator calculates a data capacity of the transmission main signals for one frame. The extractor extracts a byte number of the variable-length packet. The remainder calculator calculates a remaining capacity of the transmission main signals. The selector stores a predetermined data sequence in a region left in the slots, and outputs the slots storing the data sequence. The slot information multiplexer multiplexes slot information and the slots output by the selector.

A transmitting system includes a variable-length packet multiplexing apparatus and a transmission slotting apparatus. The variable-length packet multiplexing apparatus generates a variable-length packet. The transmission slotting apparatus stores the variable-length packet in slots forming transmission main signals. The transmission slotting apparatus includes a capacity calculator, an extractor, a remainder calculator, a selector, and a slot information multiplexer. The capacity calculator calculates a data capacity of the transmission main signals for one frame. The extractor extracts a byte number of the variable-length packet. The remainder calculator calculates a remaining capacity of the transmission main signals. The selector stores a predetermined data sequence in a region left in the slots, and outputs the slots storing the data sequence. The slot information multiplexer multiplexes slot information and the slots output by the selector.

Ancillary information associated with one or more images embedded in a digital broadcast data stream may be accessed by a digital broadcast receiving device. The device may include a receiver unit, a processor, and a memory. The processor may execute program instructions to access the ancillary information. Control data may be associated with one or more visual components of one or more video images. The control data and images may be combined into a digital broadcast data stream. The device may receive the images and control data. The images may be presented on a display device. The receiving device may use the control data to present or store a perceptible indication that ancillary information is associated with the visual components in conjunction with presenting the images. The device may use the control data to present or store the ancillary information in response to an input signal.

Ancillary information associated with one or more images embedded in a digital broadcast data stream may be accessed by a digital broadcast receiving device. The device may include a receiver unit, a processor, and a memory. The processor may execute program instructions to access the ancillary information. Control data may be associated with one or more visual components of one or more video images. The control data and images may be combined into a digital broadcast data stream. The device may receive the images and control data. The images may be presented on a display device. The receiving device may use the control data to present or store a perceptible indication that ancillary information is associated with the visual components in conjunction with presenting the images. The device may use the control data to present or store the ancillary information in response to an input signal.

A portable information terminal includes a controller configured to control a communication interface to transmit a charging permission response to a broadcast receiving apparatus in response to a charging permission request data transmitted when a broadcasting program that a user of the broadcast receiving apparatus desires to view contains an asset that requires charging. The charging permission response is allowed to be transmitted when positional information indicates that the portable information terminal is positioned inside of a predetermined positional range and apparatus identification information in the charging permission request data, by which the broadcast receiving apparatus is allowed to be identified, coincides with apparatus identification information stored in a memory. The controller controls the communication interface to transmit a charging denial response to the broadcast receiving apparatus when the positional information indicates that the portable information terminal is positioned outside of the predetermined positional range.

A hardware media items scheduling and packaging system, which schedules and distributes channels to be viewed on a plurality of consumer devices, extracts contextual data from program-specific information associated with programming media content of a channel received from a distribution source device. A plurality of potential non-programming media items is determined for a plurality of users based on a match between a sentiment type of each of a plurality of non-programming media items and the extracted contextual data. Based on at least the extracted contextual data and the sentiment type of each of the plurality of potential non-programming media items, a plurality of candidate spots in the programming media content is determined. Based on at least a set of constraints and user estimation data associated with the plurality of users, a schedule of non-programming media item(s) is dynamically generated for at least one candidate spot in the programming media content.

A hardware media items scheduling and packaging system, which schedules and distributes channels to be viewed on a plurality of consumer devices, extracts contextual data from program-specific information associated with programming media content of a channel received from a distribution source device. A plurality of potential non-programming media items is determined for a plurality of users based on a match between a sentiment type of each of a plurality of non-programming media items and the extracted contextual data. Based on at least the extracted contextual data and the sentiment type of each of the plurality of potential non-programming media items, a plurality of candidate spots in the programming media content is determined. Based on at least a set of constraints and user estimation data associated with the plurality of users, a schedule of non-programming media item(s) is dynamically generated for at least one candidate spot in the programming media content.

A display controlling method for a broadcast receiving apparatus allowed to receive IP simultaneous broadcasting of a 4K broadcasting service via a communication transmission line, in which simultaneous broadcasting of the 4K broadcasting service and a 2K broadcasting service is executed by a broadcasting wave, is configured to: receive and demodulate the 4K broadcasting service, and display a broadcasting program of the 4K broadcasting service; and select and execute one display switching process of first and second display switching processes in accordance with priority order in a case where a defect occurs in reception, demodulation, or display of the 4K broadcasting service, the 2K broadcasting service being received and demodulated to display a broadcasting program of the 2K broadcasting service in the first display switching process, the IP simultaneous broadcasting being received and demodulated to display a program of the IP simultaneous broadcasting in the second display switching process.