Broadcast receiving device, viewing management server, viewing determination method, broadcasting system, viewing determination program, and storage medium

• US 20070192803A1
• Filed: 03/06/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Chisaka, Masanobu
• Application Number:
  US11/367,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20070192803A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/14 Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/35 Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections

Abstract

A broadcast data receiving section receives broadcasted broadcast data. A reception confirmation key extracting section extracts reception confirmation keys from the broadcast data. A reception confirmation processing section counts the extracted reception confirmation keys. A viewing determination section determines that a viewer has watched a program when the thus counted number of reception confirmation keys exceeds a reference value. This makes it possible to more accurately determine whether the viewer has watched the program.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

the broadcast receiving device comprising:

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the reception means, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

8. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein:

the reception confirmation key includes a program identifier that identifies the broadcast program; and

the viewing determination means identifies the broadcast program in accordance with the program identifier.

9. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein:

the reception confirmation key includes a scene identifier that identifies a scene of the broadcast program; and

the viewing determination means determines that the viewer has watched the scene of the broadcast program, in accordance with the scene identifier.

10. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein:

the viewing determination means identifies the broadcast program in accordance with program information regarding the broadcast program.

11. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, wherein:

the viewing determination means identifies the broadcast program in accordance with a time when the reception means has received the reception confirmation key.

12. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising:

incentive offering means which offers an incentive to the viewer when the viewing determination means determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program.

14. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising:

question presenting means which, when the viewing determination means determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, presents a question about the broadcast program to the viewer of the broadcast program; and

incentive offering means which offers an incentive to the viewer when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

15. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 14, further comprising:

informing means which informs the viewer of information regarding the incentive when the viewing determination means determines that the viewer has not yet watched the broadcast program.

40. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for operating the broadcast receiving device according to claim 1, the program causing a computer to function as the respective means of the broadcast receiving device.

2. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

the broadcast receiving device comprising:

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the reception means has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the reception means, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

3. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

the broadcast receiving device comprising:

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

4. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

the broadcast receiving device comprising:

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the reception means has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

5. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program, comprising:

reception means which receives the broadcast program;

question presenting means which, while the reception means receives the broadcast program, presents a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

7. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 5, wherein:

the reception means receives the broadcast program and receives a question presentation instruction key for instructing the presentation of the question; and

the question presenting means, after the reception means has received the question presentation instruction key, presents the question about the broadcast program to the viewer of the broadcast program.

13. The broadcast receiving device according to claim 5, further comprising:

incentive offering means which offers an incentive to the viewer when the viewing determination means determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program; and

informing means which informs the viewer of information regarding the incentive when the reception means has not yet received the reception confirmation key.

6. A broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and receives at least one reception confirmation key by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

the broadcast receiving device comprising:

reception means which receives the reception confirmation key;

question presenting means which, after the reception means has received the reception confirmation key, presents a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

16. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

viewing determination step of determining that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received in the reception step, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

17. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

viewing determination step of determining that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys has been received in the reception step and (b) when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the reception means, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

18. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed;

reception points calculating step of calculating reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination step of determining that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

19. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed;

reception points calculating step of calculating reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination step of determining that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys has been received in the reception step and (b) when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

20. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program;

question presenting step of, while the broadcast program is received in the reception step, presenting a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination step of determining that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

21. A viewing determination method comprising:

reception step of receiving a broadcast program and receiving at least one reception confirmation key by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed,

question presenting step of, after the reception confirmation key has been received in the reception step, presenting a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination step of determining that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

22. A viewing management server comprising:

reception means which receives information transmitted from a broadcast receiving device, the broadcast receiving device receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means which calculates number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the broadcast receiving device, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the thus calculated number of the reception confirmation keys exceeds a predetermined reference value.

41. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for operating the viewing management server according to claim 22, the program causing a computer to function as the respective means of the viewing management server.

23. A viewing management server comprising:

reception means which receives information transmitted from a broadcast receiving device, the broadcast receiving device receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means which calculates number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the broadcast receiving device, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means;

particular key reception determination means which determines whether the broadcast receiving device has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the particular key reception determination means determines that the broadcast receiving device has received the at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the number of the reception confirmation keys, which has been calculated by the number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

24. A viewing management server comprising:

reception means which receives information transmitted from a broadcast receiving device, the broadcast receiving device receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

25. A viewing management server comprising:

reception means which receives information transmitted from a broadcast receiving device, the broadcast receiving device receiving a broadcast program and sequentially receiving a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys;

particular key reception determination means which determines whether the broadcast receiving device has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the particular key reception determination means determines that the broadcast receiving device has received the at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the reception points thus calculated by the reception points calculating means exceeds a predetermined reference value.

26. A viewing management server comprising:

question presenting means which causes a broadcast receiving device, which receives a broadcast program, to present a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program, after confirming that the broadcast receiving device has received the broadcast program in accordance with information having been transmitted from the broadcast receiving device; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

27. A viewing management server comprising:

question presenting means which causes a broadcast receiving device, which receives a broadcast program and receives at least one reception confirmation key by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, to present a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program, after confirming that the broadcast receiving device has received the reception confirmation key in accordance with information having been transmitted from the broadcast receiving device; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

28. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the broadcast receiving device comprising;

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the reception means, exceeds a predetermined reference value; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program and the reception confirmation keys to the broadcast receiving device.

29. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the broadcast receiving device comprising;

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the reception means has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the reception means, exceeds a predetermined reference value; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program and the reception confirmation keys to the broadcast receiving device.

30. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the broadcast receiving device comprising;

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program and the reception confirmation keys to the broadcast receiving device.

31. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the broadcast receiving device comprising;

reception means which receives the reception confirmation keys;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the reception means has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program and the reception confirmation keys to the broadcast receiving device.

32. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program, comprising;

reception means which receives the broadcast program;

question presenting means which, while the reception means receives the broadcast program, presents a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program to the broadcast receiving device.

33. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and receives at least one reception confirmation key by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed, the broadcast receiving device comprising;

reception means which receives the reception confirmation key;

question presenting means which, after the reception means has received the reception confirmation key, presents a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly; and

a broadcast transmitting device which transmits the broadcast program and the reception confirmation key to the broadcast receiving device.

34. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

a viewing management server comprising;

reception means which receives information transmitted from the broadcast receiving device, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means which calculates number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the broadcast receiving device, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the thus calculated number of the reception confirmation keys exceeds a predetermined reference value.

35. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

a viewing management server comprising;

reception means which receives information transmitted from the broadcast receiving device, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means which calculates number of the reception confirmation keys, which have been received by the broadcast receiving device, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means;

particular key reception determination means which determines whether the broadcast receiving device has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the particular key reception determination means determines that the broadcast receiving device has received the at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the number of the reception confirmation keys, which has been calculated by the number-of-reception-confirmation-keys calculating means, exceeds a predetermined reference value.

36. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

a viewing management server comprising;

reception means which receives information transmitted from the broadcast receiving device, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the reception points thus calculated exceed a predetermined reference value.

37. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and sequentially receives a plurality of reception confirmation keys by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

a viewing management server comprising;

reception means which receives information transmitted from the broadcast receiving device, the information being information regarding the reception confirmation keys that the broadcast receiving device has received;

reception points calculating means which calculates reception points by adding respective individual points for the received reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means, the individual points being predetermined for each of the reception confirmation keys;

particular key reception determination means which determines whether the broadcast receiving device has received at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys, in accordance with the information having been received by the reception means; and

viewing determination means which determines that a viewer has watched the broadcast program, (a) when the particular key reception determination means determines that the broadcast receiving device has received the at least one predetermined particular reception confirmation key among the reception confirmation keys and (b) when the reception points thus calculated by the reception points calculating means exceeds a predetermined reference value.

38. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program; and

a viewing management server comprising;

question presenting means which causes the broadcast receiving device to present a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program, after confirming that the broadcast receiving device has received the broadcast program in accordance with information having been transmitted from the broadcast receiving device; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.

39. A broadcasting system comprising:

a broadcast receiving device which receives a broadcast program and receives at least one reception confirmation key by which reception of the broadcast program is confirmed; and

a viewing management server comprising;

question presenting means which causes the broadcast receiving device to present a question about the broadcast program to a viewer of the broadcast program, after confirming that the broadcast receiving device has received the reception confirmation key in accordance with information having been transmitted from the broadcast receiving device; and

viewing determination means which determines that the viewer has watched the broadcast program, when the viewer has answered the presented question correctly.