Apparatus for receiving and decoding a broadcast signal

• US 6,031,578 A
• Filed: 02/17/1999
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Namio, Kandaka, Isao, Henmi, Hidemi, Maeda, Takio
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/251,293
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 348/563, 348/569, 348/589, 348/600, 348/468, 348/6, 348/7, 348/12, 348/13, 348/10, 348/552, 348/553, 455/3.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/006 with transmission via telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/008 with transmission via TV or radio broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A data broadcast receiving apparatus used in a system is combined with another transmission line such as telephone circuit. By receiving a television broadcast having a data broadcast signal, such as a teletext signal, superposed on the television broadcast signal, in which a first auxiliary information signal contained in the data broadcast signal and a second auxiliary information signal from the other transmission line are extracted, a control procedure is created responsive to the first and second auxiliary information signals, and the data broadcast signal and main information from the other transmission line are processed responsive to the control procedure.

Claims

1. A data broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a television broadcast signal with a data broadcast signal superposed thereon wherein said data broadcast receiving apparatus is for use with a response server comprising:

a data broadcast decoder unit for extracting the data broadcast signal,

a display unit for displaying at least one of the television broadcast signal and the data broadcast signal, and

a modem connected to a telephone circuit,

wherein an ID number containing user specific information and a telephone number of a respective response server are obtained from the data broadcast decoder unit, the data broadcast signal corresponding to the ID number is stored in a memory, the telephone number is dialed through the modem to connect with the respective response server, and specific detailed information is obtained from the respective response server through the modem.

2. A data broadcast receiving apparatus for receiving a television broadcast signal with a data broadcast signal superposed thereon wherein said data broadcast receiving apparatus is for use with a response server serving at least one of a plurality of districts comprising:

a data broadcast decoder unit for extracting the data broadcast signal,

a display unit for displaying at least one of the television broadcast signal and the data broadcast signal, and

a modem connected to a telephone circuit,

wherein information specific to at least one of said plurality of districts is superposed with a respective first ID number designating the respective district and a respective telephone number of the response server in the respective district, the data transmission signal of the first ID number coinciding with a respective second ID number of the data broadcast receiving apparatus is stored in a memory, the respective telephone number is dialed through the modem to connect with the response server, and the information of the respective district is obtained from the response server through the telephone circuit.

3. A data broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 2, wherein when an emergency code is contained in the data broadcast signal stored in the memory, the telephone number is dialed through the response server, and the information of the district is acquired from the response server through the telephone circuit.

4. A data broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 2, wherein when an emergency code is excluded in the data broadcast signal stored in the memory, determining if requesting connection, in the case where the connection is requested by the instruction of the user, the telephone number is dialed through the modem to connect with the response server, and the own information of the district is acquired from the response server through the telephone circuit.

5. A data broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 3, wherein when the emergency code is excluded in the data broadcast signal stored in the memory, determining if requesting connection, in the case where the connection is requested by the instruction of the user, the telephone number is dialed through the modem to connect with the response server, and the information of the district is acquired from the response server through the telephone circuit.