Program providing system

• US 20020137496A1
• Filed: 03/15/2002
• Published: 09/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagaoka, Tatsuji, Wakaizumi, Mariko
• Application Number:
  US10/088,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20020137496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/08 among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/24 Arrangements for distribution of identical information via broadcast system and non-broadcast system
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/19 on transmission of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Provided is a program providing system capable of realizing provision of a program dependent on a user. The program providing system consists mainly of a set-top box STB, an television receiver TV, and a mobile phone MS. The set-top box STB and television receiver TV receive program data broadcasted from a broadcasting station BC and provide a user with a program represented by the program data. The mobile phone MS is accommodated by a mobile communication network MN and has an ID code (identification information), with which a user can be identified, stored in a memory thereof. The mobile phone MS transmits a control signal, to which the ID code is included, to the set-top box STB. The ID code and associated attribute information are stored in the set-top box STB. Upon receipt of a control signal sent from the mobile terminal MS, the set-top box acts according to the attribute information associated with the ID code included in the control signal.

Claims

1. A program providing system comprising:

a broadcast receiver for receiving program data broadcasted from a broadcasting station and providing a user with a program represented by the program data; and

a mobile terminal accommodated by a mobile communication network and having a function of transmitting a control signal including identification information of a user,

wherein said broadcast receiver comprises;

a memory for storing attribute information and identification information of one or more users correspondingly;

a receiving unit for receiving the control signal from said mobile terminal; and

a control unit for reading from said memory attribute information corresponding to the identification information included in the control signal received by said receiving unit, and receiving a request for provision of the program according to the attribute information.

2. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein said mobile attaches the identification information to all control signals for transmission to said broadcast receiver.

3. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit provides a user interface according to the attribute information corresponding to the identification information included in the received control signal.

4. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein said broadcast receiver receives a broadcasting schedule, which includes attributes of the programs, broadcasted from the broadcasting station;

and said control unit does not allow a user to receive a program, of which attribute is not congruous with the attribute information of the user.

5. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein said broadcast receiver transmits program data received from said broadcasting station to said mobile terminal, and said mobile terminal receives program data sent from said broadcast receiver to provide a user with a program represented by the program data.

6. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein communication is carried out by radio between said broadcast receiver and said mobile terminal.

7. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein:

said broadcast receiver transmits information, which is necessary for said mobile terminal to receive program data from said broadcasting station via said mobile communication network, to said mobile terminal; and

said mobile terminal has a function of communicating with said broadcasting station via said mobile communication network, receives the information sent from said broadcast receiver, transmits a signal representing a request for transmission of program data to said broadcasting station according to the information, receives the program data sent from said broadcasting station responsive to the request, and provides a user with a program represented by the program data.

8. A program providing system according to claim 1, wherein the amount of program data received by said mobile terminal is smaller than that received by said broadcast receiver receives from said broadcasting station.

9. A broadcast receiver for receiving program data broadcasted from a broadcasting station and providing a user with a program represented by the program data, comprising:

a memory for storing attribute information and identification information of one or more users correspondingly;

a receiving unit for receiving a control signal from a mobile terminal; and

a control unit for reading attribute information corresponding to the identification information included in the control signal received by said receiving unit, from said memory, and receiving a request for provision of the program according to the attribute information.

10. A broadcast receiver according to claim 9, wherein said broadcast receiver transmits the received program data to said mobile terminal.

11. A broadcast receiver according to claim 9, wherein said control unit provides a user interface according to the attribute information corresponding to the identification information included in the control signal.

12. A broadcast receiver according to claim 9, wherein said broadcast receiver receives a broadcasting schedule broadcasted from said broadcasting station including attributes of the programs, and said control unit does not allow a user to receives a program, of which attribute is not congruous with the attribute information of the user.

14. A mobile terminal according to claim 13, wherein said mobile terminal has a function of communicating with said broadcasting station via said mobile communication network, receives information, which is necessary to receive program data from said broadcasting station via said mobile communication network, from said broadcast receiver, transmits to said broadcasting station a signal representing transmission of program data according to the information, receives program data sent from said broadcasting station responsive to the request, and provides a user with a program represented by the program data.

13. A mobile terminal accommodated by a mobile communication network, wherein:

said mobile terminal transmits a control signal representing a request for provision of a program and including identification information of a user, to a broadcast receiver which receives program data broadcasted from a broadcasting station and provides a user with a program represented by the program data;

receives the program data sent from said broadcast receiver; and

provides a user with a program represented by the program data.