Interactive video distribution systems – Video distribution system with upstream communication – Having link to external network
Reexamination Certificate
1996-10-02
2001-05-08
Miller, John W. (Department: 2611)
Interactive video distribution systems
Video distribution system with upstream communication
Having link to external network
C725S112000, C725S133000, C725S134000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information network system which makes use of television broadcasting or radio broadcasting and a broadcast receiving user terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional television receivers merely display an image and reproduce sound transmitted from a broadcasting station by wireless or by means of a cable, and usually allow information communication with users only in one direction. When a user intends to make use of a television shopping service guided in a broadcasting program, the user will telephone a service center which provides the service. However, it is cumbersome to the user in that the user must take a memo of a telephone number, and the telephone system is liable to become busy. On the service center side, responses to individual users who telephone the service center are performed manually and sufficient information cannot be acquired in a short time.
A television receiver with a bidirectional communication function which includes a communication control circuit which allows bidirectional communication with a broadcasting station is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. Heisei 7-79425. With the television receiver, however, a user can communicate only with a broadcasting station, and the method of utilizing it is limited significantly. On the other hand, in a shopping data base service which makes use of personal computer communication, many cumbersome operations are involved such as operations for confirmation of the address of a data base center, assurance of an accessing method and checking of whether or not contents of a service satisfy the user. Consequently, the general public cannot utilize the shopping data base service readily.
In this manner, the television broadcasting at present presumes one directional communication and does not allow bidirectional information interchange with a service provider which makes use of television broadcasting. This similarly applies to radio broadcasting.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an information network system and a broadcasting receiving user terminal by which bidirectional communication can be established between a user terminal and a data base center so that a user can enjoy a service provided from the data base center.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an information network system and a broadcasting receiving user terminal by which a response path from a user terminal to a broadcasting center can be established via a network and a data base center to allow bidirectionality to be provided to broadcasting which has conventionally been communicated in one direction from the broadcasting center to the user terminal.
In order to attain the objects described above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information network system, comprising a broadcasting center for transmitting a broadcasting signal, a user terminal for receiving the broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center, a data base center connected to the user terminal by a network, guide information addition means provided in the broadcasting center for adding data base accessing guide information to the broadcasting signal for a program to be transmitted, guide information extraction means provided in the user terminal for extracting the guide information from the broadcasting signal received by the user terminal, first network communication means provided in the user terminal for accessing a data base of the data base center via the network based on the guide information extracted by the guide information extraction means and user information peculiar to a user of the user terminal and for receiving a response from the data base center, and second network communication means provided in the data base center for confirming the guide information and the user information transmitted thereto from the user terminal via the network and then establishing bidirectional communication with the user terminal.
Where the broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center is an analog television broadcasting signal, the guide information addition means inserts the guide information into a blanking period of a television video signal of the analog television broadcasting signal, and the user terminal is a user terminal for receiving the analog television broadcasting signal and the guide information extraction means in the user terminal extracts the guide information from the blanking period of the television signal received by the user terminal.
Where the broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center is a digital television broadcasting signal, the guide information addition means superimposes the guide information with the digital television broadcasting signal, and the user terminal is a user terminal for receiving the digital television broadcasting signal and the guide information extraction means in the user terminal extracts and decodes the guide information from the digital television broadcasting signal received by the user terminal.
Where the broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center is an analog radio broadcasting signal, the guide information addition means transmits the guide information in synchronism with the analog radio broadcasting signal, and the user terminal is a user terminal for receiving the analog radio broadcasting signal and the guide information extraction means in the user terminal extracts the guide information in synchronism with the analog radio broadcasting signal received by the user terminal.
Where the broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center is a digital radio broadcasting signal, the guide information addition means multiplexes the guide information with the digital radio broadcasting signal, and the user terminal is a user terminal for receiving the digital radio broadcasting signal and the guide information extraction means in the user terminal extracts the guide information from the digital radio broadcasting signal received by the user terminal.
The guide information may include information for allowing automatic dialing and automatic log-in to the data base center.
Preferably, the network is the internet, and the guide information includes a universal resource locator for a data base center. The guide information may further include information for automatic dialing to the data base center or information for identification of a program from the broadcasting center.
With the information network system, a user of the broadcasting receiving user terminal for receiving television broadcasting or radio broadcasting can realize bidirectional communication readily with the data base center under the guidance broadcast in a broadcasting program and can thus enjoy various services making use of the network. Meanwhile, the service providing side can acquire information from users efficiently by bidirectional communication with the users.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a broadcasting receiving user terminal for receiving a broadcasting signal from a broadcasting center, comprising guide information extraction means for extracting, from the broadcasting signal received by the user terminal, data base accessing guide information added to the broadcasting signal for a program, storage means for storing user information peculiar to a user of the user terminal, and network communication means for transmitting the user information read out from the storage means and the data base accessing information obtained from the guide information extracted by the guide information extraction means to a data base center via a network and for receiving a response from the data base center.
Where the user terminal is an analog television signal receiving user terminal for receiving an analog television broadcasting signal from the broadcasting center, the guide information extraction means extracts the guide information from a blanking period of the analog television broadcasting signal re
Iinuma Kazumoto
Sashida Takanori
Miller John W.
NEC Corporation
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
LandOfFree
Information network system making use of television or radio... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information network system making use of television or radio..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information network system making use of television or radio... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2473048