Providing contents associated with time-specific information through networks
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program, said content information including at least one of content guide information descriptive of the contents and content location information indicative of locations of the contents on a network; and
a content selecting unit which searches in said content information database for the content information of a specific channel and a specific time in response to a request from a user terminal indicating at least one of the specific channel and the specific time in a direct or indirect manner, and provides the content information of the specific channel and the specific time to the user terminal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system includes a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program, the content information including at least one of content guide information descriptive of the contents and content location information indicative of locations of the contents on a network. The system further includes a content selecting unit which searches in the content information database for the content information of a specific channel and a specific time in response to a request from a user terminal indicating at least one of the specific channel and the specific time in a direct or indirect manner, and provides the content information of the specific channel and the specific time to the user terminal.
23 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program, said content information including at least one of content guide information descriptive of the contents and content location information indicative of locations of the contents on a network; and
a content selecting unit which searches in said content information database for the content information of a specific channel and a specific time in response to a request from a user terminal indicating at least one of the specific channel and the specific time in a direct or indirect manner, and provides the content information of the specific channel and the specific time to the user terminal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of providing contents, comprising the steps of:
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providing a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program, said content information including at least one of content guide information descriptive of the contents and content location information indicative of locations of the contents on a network;
searching in said content information database for the content information of a specific channel and a specific time in response to a request from a user terminal indicating at least one of the specific channel and the specific time in a direct or indirect manner; and
providing the user terminal with the contents that correspond to the content information of the specific channel and the specific time. - View Dependent Claims (11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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12. A system for registering content information, comprising:
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a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program;
a registration request database which stores therein information about availability of sections in said content information database for registration of the content information, and further stores therein user IDs associated with the sections, said user IDs identifying users who has been registered for use of the sections associated with the user IDs; and
a registration processing unit which searches in said registration request database to check whether a section of a specific channel and a specific time is available in response to a status inquiry from a user terminal indicating the specific channel and the specific time, and provides a result of the check to the user terminal.
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17. A method of registering a section for content information, comprising the steps of:
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providing a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program;
providing a registration request database which stores therein information about availability of sections in said content information database for registration of the content information, and further stores therein user IDs associated with the sections, said user IDs identifying users who has been registered for use of the sections associated with the user IDs;
searching in said registration request database to check whether a section of a specific channel and a specific time is available in response to a status inquiry from a user terminal indicating the specific channel and the specific time;
providing a result of the check to the user terminal; and
storing information in the registration request database to indicate that the section of the specific channel and the specific time is allocated to a user of a user ID in response to a registration request indicating the user ID that is sent from the user terminal in response to the result of the check.
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18. A method of registering a section for content information, comprising the steps of:
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providing a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program;
providing a registration request database which stores therein information about availability of sections in said content information database for registration of the content information, and further stores therein user IDs associated with the sections, said user IDs identifying users who has been registered for use of the sections associated with the user IDs;
searching in said registration request database for at least one section that is registered for a user of a user ID in response to a request from a user terminal indicating the user ID;
providing a search result indicative of said at least one section to the user terminal if said at least one section is found as a result of the search; and
storing content information in the content information database with respect to a section of a specific channel and a specific time falling within said at least one section in response to a registration request that is sent from the user terminal in response to the search result.
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19. A system for calculating registration fees, comprising:
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a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program;
a registration request database which stores therein information about availability of sections in said content information database for registration of the content information, and further stores therein user IDs associated with the sections, said user IDs identifying users who has been registered for use of the sections associated with the user IDs; and
a registration fee charge unit which determines an amount of fees to be charged to the users who are registered in said registration request database for use of the sections in said content information database.
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21. A method of calculating registration fees, comprising:
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providing a content information database which stores therein content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program;
providing a registration request database which stores therein information about availability of sections in said content information database for registration of the content information, and further stores therein user IDs associated with the sections, said user IDs identifying users who has been registered for use of the sections associated with the user IDs; and
determining an amount of fees to be charged to the users who are registered in said registration request database for use of the sections in said content information database.
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22. A method of using an apparatus for indicating a broadcast channel of user preference by pressing one of buttons for selecting respective broadcast channels, comprising the steps of:
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pressing one of the buttons to request a content associated with a broadcast program of a corresponding channel, sending signals indicative of the pressing of one of the buttons from said apparatus to a computer connected to a network; and
receiving the content by the computer through the network.
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23. A database, comprising content information about contents associated with broadcast programs on a channel-and-time-specific basis that corresponds to a channel and a time of each broadcast program, said content information including at least one of content guide information descriptive of the contents and content location information indicative of locations of the contents on a network.
Specification