US Patent 7900232 Broadcast system, and its distribution device and terminal device

A broadcast signal received by a broadcast signal reception unit is separated into program contents and program information by a broadcast signal separation unit. The separated program contents is converted into Internet Protocol (IP) packets by a contents transmission unit then distributed to an IP network. A program information transmission unit converts the separated program information into the IP packets then distributes the IP packets by setting an IP connection differing from that of the transmission unit. A terminal device receives the program contents by a contents reception unit to supply it to a program contents reproduction unit. The program information received by a program information reception unit is stored in a program information memory and output to a display in response to an output request.