Multibroadcast receiver

• US 5,946,026 A
• Filed: 05/13/1996
• Issued: 08/31/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TOKYO FM Broadcasting Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Media Marketing Network
• Inventors: Suzuki, Hiromichi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, RICHARD J
• Application Number:
  US08/646,314
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 348/1, 348/3, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 455/2, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/76 Wired systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/81 combined with telephone network over which the broadcast is continuously available
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/27 Arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information
• 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 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/94 Telephonic networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/98 Physical distribution of media, e.g. postcards, CDs or DVDs

Abstract

A multibroadcast receiver for pseudo bidirectional communications between a broadcasting station and an audience via ordinary radio wave mass media such as television and radio. The multibroadcast receiver includes a stereo receiving section for receiving broadcast wave, an acquisition section for acquiring program-content data from the broadcast wave, a control section, an insertion section for the insertion of a card, a printing section for printing necessary data on the card, a reading section for reading data on the card, a key-input section, a storage section, and a communication section for receiving and sending to a remote terminal, data from the control section. Data externally input by an audience through the key-input section, in accordance with an invitation from a broadcast program, program-content data, and audience data, are transmitted to the remote terminal via the communication section. Externally input data and program-content data are printed on the card in the insertion section of the multibroadcast receiver.

Claims

1. A multibroadcast receiver having receiving and reproducing means for receiving a broadcast wave and reproducing a broadcast program and acquisition means for acquiring program-content data carried on an added-information wave in said broadcast wave in synchronism with said broadcast program, further comprising:

an insertion section for insertion of a card on which predetermined audience data is recorded;

reading means for reading the recorded audience data from said card in said insertion section;

printing means for writing necessary data on said card in said insertion section;

external input means for allowing an audience to input arbitrary data;

communication means for transmitting necessary data via a telephone line;

control means for controlling the reading means, printing means, external input means, and communication means; and

storage means for storing necessary data,

whereby externally input data input by said audience through said external input means in response to an invitation in a broadcast program, program-content data from said acquisition means, and the audience data on said card, read by said reading means, are transmitted via said communication means, and said externally input data and said program-content data are printed on said card in said insertion section.

2. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein a post-card format with space for entering an address and characters is printed on one side of said card to facilitate mailing.

3. The multibroadcast reciver according to claim 1, wherein a destination'"'"'s telephone number is included in said program-content data and said communication means automatically dials said destination'"'"'s telephone number acquired by said acquisition means.

4. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein a destination'"'"'s telephone number is included in said program-content data and said communication means automatically dials said destination'"'"'s telephone number acquired by said acquisition means.

5. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein a destination'"'"'s telephone number is previously included in said audience data recorded on said card and said communication means automatically dials said destination'"'"'s telephone number read by said reading means.

6. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein a destination'"'"'s telephone number is previously included in said audience data recorded on said card and said communication means automatically dials said destination'"'"'s telephone number read by said reading means.

7. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

8. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

9. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 3, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

10. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 4, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

11. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 5, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

12. The multibroadcast receiver according to claim 6, wherein said communication means transmits necessary data over a radio connection to a telephone line.

13. A method for operating a multibroadcast receiver, said method including

receiving a broadcast wave from a broadcast station, reproducing a broadcast program from said broadcast wave, and acquiring program-content data carried on an added-information wave in said broadcast wave in synchronism with said broadcast program, said method further comprising:

inserting, into an insertion section of the multibroadcast receiver, a card on which predetermined data is recorded;

reading the recorded data from said card in said insertion section;

setting-up the multibroadcast receiver based on the recorded data read from said card;

prompting a user to input response data in accordance with the broadcast program and storing, in a storage section of the multibroadcast receiver, the response data provided as input from the user; and

transmitting, from the multibroadcast receiver to the broadcast station, the response data provided as input from the user and the program-content data acquired from the added-information wave.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined data recorded on said card comprises an ID code representing audience data, said setting-up of the multibroadcast comprising decoding said ID code to determine the audience data and storing the audience data in the storage section of the multibroadcast receiver.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined data recorded on said card includes encoded control data that controls at least one function of a stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver, said setting-up of the multibroadcast comprising decoding said encoded control data and setting, after decoding said encoded control data, at least one function of the stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said setting comprises automatically tuning the stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein said setting comprises controlling the volume of the stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver.

18. A method according to claim 13, said method further comprising printing, on said card in said insertion section, the response data provided as input from the user and the program-content data acquired from the added-information wave.

19. A multibroadcast receiver receiving a broadcast wave from a broadcast station and reproducing a broadcast program from the broadcast wave, said multibroadcast receiver comprising:

an insertion section for inserting a card on which predetermined data is recorded;

reading means for reading the recorded data from said card in said insertion section;

means for setting-up the multibroadcast receiver based on the recorded data read from said card;

a display section that prompts a user to input response data in accordance with the broadcast program;

a storage section that stores the response data provided as input from the user; and

means for transmitting, from the multibroadcast receiver to the broadcast station, the response data provided as input from the user.

20. A multibroadcast receiver according to claim 19, further comprising printing, on said card in said insertion section of the multibroadcast receiver, the response data provided as input from the user.

21. A multibroadcast receiver according to claim 19, wherein said predetermined data recorded on said card comprises an ID code representing audience data, said setting-up means comprising means for decoding said ID code to determine audience data, said audience data being stored in the storage section of the multibroadcast receiver.

22. A multibroadcast receiver according to claim 19, wherein said predetermined data recorded on said card includes encoded control data that controls at least one function of a stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver, said setting-up means comprising means for decoding said encoded control data and means for setting, based on the decoded control data, at least one function of the stereo receiving section of the multibroadcast receiver.