Apparatus of storing URL transmitted via vertical blanking interval of television signal

• US 6,430,743 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Matsuura, Katsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lo, Linus H.
• Application Number:
  US09/559,299
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 348/478, 348/552, 348/553, 348/563, 348/61, 348/465, 348/468, 348/473, 348/564, 348/345, 348/327, 348/555, 348/554, 725/40, 725/43, 725/48, 725/51, 725/52, 725/131, 725/136, 725/110, 725/112
• US Class Current: 725/112
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital

Abstract

The network system has a configuration so that information supplier address data transmitted together with character broadcast data is extracted and stored in the Internet address memory. Furthermore, the Web site addresses once accessed by the user or selected on a character broadcast display can be registered in an address list as being stored in the address list area, and a desired Web site can be accessed by the Internet browser 9 according to an address selected from the address list.

Claims

1. A broadcast receiver for receiving broadcast signals in which address information associated with a computer network is transmitted together with a video signal, comprising:

receiving means for receiving said broadcast signals;

a video decoder for decoding said video signal received by said receiving means;

separating means for separating said address information associated with said computer network from said broadcast signals;

storing means for storing said separated address information;

list making means for making a list of said separated address information stored in said storing means;

a user operated control panel;

a selector for selecting as an output one of a decoded signal from said video decoder, said list of said separated address information from said list making means, or an Internet Web page in response to a selection command by a user of said user operated control panel; and

display processing means for displaying said output of said selector based on said selection command by said user.

2. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, further comprising Internet connecting means for fetching said Internet Web page including:

a browser controller; and

an Internet communication software package.

3. The broadcast receiver according to claim 2, wherein said Internet connecting means further includes a modem.

4. The broadcast receiver according to claim 1, wherein said storing means is formed of flash memory.

5. A method of accessing a computer network comprising the steps of:

receiving broadcast signals in which address information associated with said computer network is transmitted along with a video signal;

decoding said video signal;

separating said address information associated with said computer network from said broadcast signals;

storing said separated address information;

making a list of said separated address information;

selecting one of a decoded signal decoded in said step of decoding, said list of said separated address information formed in said step of making a list, or an Internet Web page in response to a selection command by a user.

6. The method of accessing a computer network according to claim 5, further comprising:

displaying said list of said separated address information;

selecting a desired address from said list;

accessing said computer network according to said desired address; and

retrieving said Internet WEB page corresponding to said desired address.