System and method for responding to two-way broadcast programs
First Claim
1. A response information receiving apparatus for receiving response information included in a response selected by a viewer to a two-way broadcast program and transmitted, comprising:
- a clock circuit for providing time information;
extracting means for extracting, from said response information, the difference between the time at which said response has been selected and the time at which said response information has been transmitted;
detecting means for detecting, from said time information provided by said clock circuit, the time at which said response information has been received by said receiving apparatus; and
,determining means for determining the time at which said response has been selected from said time at which said response information has been received by said receiving apparatus and the extracted difference.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for two-way broadcast programs includes a response information transmitting apparatus, two-way broadcast receiving apparatus, and a response information receiving apparatus. The system also preferably includes a remote control transmitter for responding to requests made during the two-way broadcast programs. The difference between the time at which the response is made to a two-way broadcast program and the time at which information about the response is transmitted is added to the response information, thereby allowing the receiving side of the response information to correctly recognize the response time based on the time difference. Since the information associated with the responding operation includes the above-mentioned time difference, the responding side need not have precise time information, unlike the case in which information about the absolute response time is added. Therefore, the responding side need not manage time constantly. Furthermore, because determination is made from a time difference as opposed to an absolute time, the response destination can determine the order in which the responses have been made, while performing transmission processing in a manner so that the concentration of access attempts and thus line congestion on a particular telephone line is reduced. Such a system and method allows for the offering of such two-way broadcast programs as first-come, first-serve quiz shows which have been difficult to practice with conventional systems which use telephone lines for transmitting responses.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A response information receiving apparatus for receiving response information included in a response selected by a viewer to a two-way broadcast program and transmitted, comprising:
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a clock circuit for providing time information; extracting means for extracting, from said response information, the difference between the time at which said response has been selected and the time at which said response information has been transmitted; detecting means for detecting, from said time information provided by said clock circuit, the time at which said response information has been received by said receiving apparatus; and
,determining means for determining the time at which said response has been selected from said time at which said response information has been received by said receiving apparatus and the extracted difference. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A system for responding to a program transmitted over a two-way broadcasting system, said program requesting a response from a viewer, said system comprising:
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reproducing means for reproducing said program including said request for response; remote control transmitting means responsive to operation by said viewer to select said response, said remote control transmitting means transmitting a remote control signal representing response information including said response, said remote control transmitting means calculating a first time difference, said first time difference comprising the difference between the time at which said response is selected by said viewer and the time at which said remote control transmitting control means transmits said response information and appending information comprising said first time difference to said response information before transmitting said remote control signal; response information transmitting means for receiving said remote control signal including said response information, and for transmitting said response information to a predetermined destination, wherein said response information transmitting means calculates a second time difference said second time difference comprising the difference between the time at which said response information is received by said response information transmitting means and the time at which said response information transmitting means transmits said response information said predetermined destination and appending information comprising said time difference to said response information before transmitting said response information; and
,receiving means located at said predetermined destination for receiving said response information from said response information transmitting means and determining from said first and second time differences, the time at which said response was selected by said viewer. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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4. A method for responding to a program transmitted over a two-way broadcasting system, said program requesting the selection of a response from a viewer, comprising the steps of:
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reproducing said program including said request for response on reproducing means; determining through remote control transmitting means a first time difference between the time at which said viewer selects a response and the time at which said remote control transmitting means transmits said response information; transmitting a remote control signal from said remote control transmitting means, said remote control signal comprising response information, said response information including said response selected by said viewer and said first time information; receiving said remote control signal including said response information at a response information transmitting means, said response information transmitting means for transmitting said response information to a predetermined destination; determining through said response information transmitting means a second time difference between the time at which said response information is received by said response information transmitting means and the time at which said response information transmitting means transmits said response information to said predetermined destination; and
,transmitting said response information including a third time difference through said response information transmitting means to said predetermined destination, said third time difference comprising the time difference between said response selection time and said response information transmission time. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification