Multi-function TV receiver

• US 6,285,407 B1
• Filed: 02/27/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoshino, Kiyoshi, Yasuki, Seijiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Natnael, Paulos
• Application Number:
  US09/032,023
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.716, H04/N.7173, 345/327, 348/12, 348/13, 348/7, 348/460-1, 348/465, 348/468, 348/473-4, 348/552-554, 348/584, 455/5.1, 455/4.2
• US Class Current: 348/554
• 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 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• 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

Abstract

A multi-function TV receiver capable of performing the processing related to an object transmitted through the broadcasting and an object which is derived from accessible means other than the broadcasting and improving utility value for users and (broadcasting station) providers and achieving convenience. A first object data multiplexed in the vertical blanking interval is captured by communication means of a tuner 112 and a VBI decoder 120. A second object data which is used in a network including servers is captured by communication means of a CPU 133 and a modem 131. An linking operation associated the first and the second object data is executed by linking means using an I/O interface 137, a graphic controller 135, memories 134 and 136, a received optical data processor 138, a specification table 142, etc.

Claims

1. A multi-function TV receiver comprising:

first communication means disposed along a first signal path and structured for (i) receiving TV broadcast signals transmitted from a first signal source and (ii) extracting a first object data from the transmitted TV broadcast signals, the first object data including and internet access command;

second communication means disposed along a second signal path and structured for (i) receiving internet information signals, the internet information signals being based upon the internet access command (ii) extracting second object data from the received internet information signals, the second object data being used in a network including servers and being provided for accessing the network;

wherein the first and second object data have matching data formats, the matching data formats including at least one of a script, text data, picture data, layout control data, and a server address format; and

linking means for linking the first object data of the first communication means with the second object data of the second communication means;

wherein the linking means has a function of displaying pictures in accordance with pre-set priorities, when picture layout information included in the first or the second object data for the display indicates the number of pictures (N), by comparing the number of pictures (N) with the number of pictures (M) records in an inherently owned specification table.

2. A multi-function TV receiver comprising:

communication means disposed along a first signal path and structured for (i) receiving TV broadcast signals transmitted from a first signal source and (ii) extracting first object data from the transmitted TV broadcast signals, the first object data including an internet access command;

data capturing means disposed along a second signal path and structured for (i) receiving internet information signals, the internet information signals being based upon the internet access command and (ii) extracting second object data from the received internet information signals;

wherein the first and second object data have matching data formats, the matching data formats including at least one of a script, text data, picture data, layout control data, and a server address format; and

linking means for linking the first object data with the second object data;

wherein the linking means has a function of displaying pictures in accordance with pre-set priorities, when picture layout information included in the first or the second object data for the display indicates the number of pictures (N), by comparing the number of pictures (N) with the number of pictures (M) records in an inherently owned specification table, and if N>

M.