Device for transmitting broadcast-program information and...

Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C345S501000, C345S519000, C725S054000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06230324

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an information transmission device which transmits information to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network or the like so as to display the information on display screens of the terminal devices. Further, the present invention generally relates to a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which transmits listings of broadcast programs or program-information guides to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network or the like so as to show the listings of broadcast programs or the program-information guides on display screens of the terminal devices. The present invention particularly relates to an information processing device and a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which allow a user of a terminal device to readily obtain necessary information on the display.
2. Description of the Related Art
A listing of broadcast programs for television or the radio has been typically distributed to households by means of paper media such as newspapers. Progress in the use of networks such as the Internet, however, has made it possible to distribute a listing of broadcast programs via a network.
Conventionally, a listing of broadcast programs is transmitted via a network as follows. A service company affiliated with a broadcast station keeps listings of broadcast programs aired by this broadcast station in files by using the same format as display format. Upon a request from a terminal device connected via a network, requested listings of broadcast programs are extracted from the files and sent to the terminal device via the network.
Upon receiving the listings of broadcast programs, the terminal device displays a listing on the display screen. This displayed listing of broadcast programs has a fixed format, and the broadcast programs may be shown for the time span of one week with respect to given time slots, for example. By turning pages on the display screen, a user can search for a desired listing of broadcast programs so as to obtain necessary information on the display screen.
In general, the terminal device is not a device specifically designed for the purpose of accessing a listing of broadcast programs, but is merely a general-purpose terminal which is capable of being connected to a network. With such a configuration, the terminal device can only display a received listing of broadcast programs. If the user wishes to obtain further information on broadcast programs, the user has to refer to other information sources such as newspapers or magazines. Even if such information sources are accessible through the network, the user has to go through the steps of finding an address of a relevant information source and typing in the address to access the information source.
Moreover, while looking though a listing of television programs, the user may come across information which the user wishes to know more about. In such a case, the user may find difficulties in finding a relevant information source itself or an address of a relevant information source.
Accordingly, there is a need for an information processing device or a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which allows a user to readily obtain necessary information when such a device is used for transmitting information such as listings of broadcast programs to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network to show this information on display screens of these terminal devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an information processing device or a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which satisfy the need described above.
It is another and more specific object of the present invention to provide an information processing device or a broadcast-program-listing transmission device which allows a user to readily obtain necessary information when such a device is used for transmitting information such as listings of broadcast programs to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network to show this information on display screens of these terminal devices.
In order to achieve the above objects according to the present invention, a device for sending broadcast-program information to a plurality of terminal devices connected via a network so that the plurality of terminal devices display the broadcast-program information on display screens thereof includes a keyword management unit storing correspondence between keywords and addresses of information sources which provide information relevant to the keywords, a check unit checking whether broadcast-program information to be sent to a terminal device contains the keywords, and an addition unit attaching an access button to each of the keywords found in the broadcast-program information by looking up the correspondence stored in the keyword management unit so that the access button specifies an address of a corresponding one of the information sources, the access button being used in the terminal device for accessing the corresponding one of the information sources.
In the device described above, the broadcast-program information is sent to the terminal device, and is displayed on a display screen of the terminal device. While looking through this broadcast-program information displayed on the screen, a user of the terminal device can operate a button associated with a keyword so as to access an information source relevant to this keyword. That is, according to the present invention, while receiving information services from a given information providing system, a user can readily obtain information from other information providing systems as such information becomes necessary.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


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