Multi-media data automatic delivery system

• US 6,725,460 B1
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Tsuda, Kunikazu, Nishiyama, Kiyoharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoye, Michael W
• Application Number:
  US09/238,639
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/12, 725/22, 725/32, 725/33, 725/34, 725/35, 725/36, 725/86, 725/95, 725/96, 725/100, 725/110, 725/114, 725/122, 725/134, 725/142, 709/206, 705/14, 705/16, 348/722, 434/307.R, 345/716, 345/733
• US Class Current: 725/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A system for delivering contents includes a center system which delivers the contents, a plurality of terminal systems which receive the contents from the center system and displays the contents, and communication lines connecting the center system to the plurality of terminal systems. The center system includes a delivery-schedule setting unit which sets a schedule of delivery, and a contents-delivery unit which delivers the contents to the terminal systems according to the schedule of delivery during a time period when a load on the terminal systems is lower than a predetermined level.

Claims

1. A delivery system for delivering contents, comprising:

a center system which delivers the contents;

a plurality of terminal systems which receive the contents from the center system and display the contents; and

communication lines connecting said center system to said plurality of terminal systems,

wherein said center system comprises;

a delivery-schedule setting unit which sets a schedule of delivery; and

a contents-delivery unit which delivers the contents to the plurality of terminal systems according to the schedule of delivery during a time period when a load on the plurality of terminal systems is lower than a predetermined level,

wherein at least one terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems sends to the center system a picture of a screen of said at least one terminal system on which the contents received from the center system is displayed.

2. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system further comprises a terminal-system-control unit which registers and controls terminal-attribute information about attributes of the plurality of terminal systems, wherein the contents-delivery unit selects some of said plurality of terminal systems based on the terminal-attribute information, and delivers the contents to the selected terminal systems.

3. The delivery system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes an identification number of a terminal system, said identification number being used for selecting the selected terminal systems.

4. The delivery system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes information on a location where a terminal system is installed, said information on location being used for selecting the selected terminal systems.

5. The delivery system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes a telephone number of a terminal system, said telephone number being used for establishing a connection between the center system to the selected terminal systems.

6. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system further comprises a display-schedule setting unit which sets a schedule of display, wherein said contents-delivery unit delivers the contents and the schedule of display to the plurality of terminal systems, the schedule of display defining a schedule according to which the contents are displayed on the plurality of terminal systems.

7. The delivery system as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of terminal systems comprises:

a receiving unit which receives the contents and the schedule of display from said center system;

a display unit; and

a terminal-control unit which displays the contents on said display unit according to a schedule specified in the schedule of display.

8. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system further comprises a compression-and-coding unit which generates the contents that are compressed and encoded, wherein said contents-delivery unit delivers the contents that are compressed and encoded to the plurality of terminal systems.

9. The delivery system as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of terminal systems comprises:

a receiving unit which receives from said center system the contents that are compressed and encoded;

a decompression unit which decompresses and decodes the contents received by the receiving unit; and

a display unit which displays the contents that are decompressed and decoded.

10. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contents are in compliance with an MPEG2 scheme.

11. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the time period includes a nighttime.

12. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system comprises a display-schedule setting unit which sets a schedule of display, and said contents-delivery unit delivers the contents and the schedule of display to the plurality of terminal systems, and wherein each of the terminals systems comprises:

a receiving unit which receives the contents and the schedule of display from said center system;

a display unit; and

a terminal-control unit which displays the contents on said display unit according to a schedule specified in the schedule of display,

wherein said center system further delivers at least one of new contents and a new schedule of display to the plurality of terminal systems so that at least one of the displayed contents or a schedule for displaying the contents is changed accordingly.

13. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system comprises a display-schedule setting unit which sets a schedule of display, and said contents-delivery unit combines the contents and the schedule of display into data of a single data structure, and delivers the data of a single data structure to the plurality of terminal systems, wherein each of the terminal systems extracts the contents and the schedule of display from the data of a single data structure, and displays the contents according to a schedule specified in the schedule of display.

14. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of terminal systems comprises:

a receiving unit which receives the contents from said center system;

a first display unit which displays the contents on a screen thereof;

a monitor camera which takes a picture of the screen of said first display unit; and

a still-image-transmission unit which sends the picture to the center device.

15. The delivery system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said center system further comprises a second display unit which displays a plurality of pictures of the screen of said first display unit taken at intervals during a last predetermined time period.

16. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of terminal systems comprises:

a character-information-transmission unit which generates and transmits character information;

an identification-transmission unit which transmits identification data of a terminal system and an operator;

a terminal-system selecting unit which generates selection data for selecting some of said plurality of terminal systems for the purpose of having the character information displayed thereon; and

a selection-data transmission unit which transmits the selection data,

and wherein said center system further comprises;

a character-information receiving unit which receives the character information, the identification data, and the selection data via said communication lines;

an identification unit which checks the identification data;

a terminal-selection unit which selects the terminal systems based on the selection data; and

a transmission unit which transmits the character information to the terminal systems selected by the terminal-selection unit only when the identification data is valid.

17. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center system further comprises a memory unit which has a removable memory medium therein for recording the contents.

18. The delivery system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of terminal systems comprises a memory unit which has a removable memory medium therein for reading the contents.

19. The center system of the delivery system of claim 1.

20. The center system of the delivery system of claim 6.

21. The center system of the delivery system of claim 15.

22. The center system of the delivery system of claim 16.

23. A terminal system of the delivery system of claim 7.

24. A terminal system of the delivery system of claim 14.

25. A terminal system of the delivery system of claim 16.

26. The delivery system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said second display unit removes an oldest picture of said plurality of pictures and adds a new picture to said plurality of pictures.

27. A delivery system for delivering contents, comprising:

central delivery means for delivering said contents;

a plurality of terminal means for receiving said contents from said central delivery means and displaying said contents; and

communication means for connecting said central delivery means to said plurality of terminal means,

wherein said central delivery means comprises;

delivery-schedule setting means for setting a schedule of delivery, and

contents-delivery means for delivering said contents to said plurality of terminal means based on said schedule of delivery during a time period when a load at said plurality of terminal means is lower than a predetermined level,

wherein at least one terminal means of said plurality of terminal means sends to the center delivery means a picture of a screen of said at least one terminal means on which the contents received from the central delivery means is displayed.

28. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises terminal-system-control means for registering and controlling terminal-attribute information about attributes of said plurality of terminal means, and

wherein said contents-delivery means selects terminal means of said plurality of terminal means based on the terminal-attribute information, and delivers said contents to the selected terminal means.

29. The delivery system of claim 28, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes an identification number of a terminal means, and said identification number is used for selecting the selected terminal means.

30. The delivery system of claim 28, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes information of a location where a terminal means is installed, and said location information of said terminal means is used for selecting the selected terminal means.

31. The delivery system of claim 28, wherein said terminal-attribute information includes a telephone number of a terminal means, and said telephone number information is used for establishing a connection between said central delivery means and the selected terminal means.

32. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises display-schedule setting means for setting a schedule of display, and

wherein said contents-delivery means delivers said contents and said schedule of display to said plurality of terminal means, said schedule of display defining a schedule according to which said contents are displayed at said plurality of terminal means.

33. A The delivery system of claim 32, wherein each of said plurality of terminal means comprises:

receiving means for receiving said contents and said schedule of display from said central delivery means;

display means for displaying said contents; and

terminal-control means for displaying said contents on said display means according to a schedule specified in said schedule of display.

34. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises compression-and-coding means for generating said contents that are compressed and coded, and

wherein said contents-delivery means delivers said contents that are compressed and coded to said plurality of terminal means.

35. The delivery system of claim 34, wherein each of said plurality of terminal means comprises:

receiving means for receiving from said central delivery means said contents that are compressed and coded;

decompression and decoding means for decompressing and decoding said contents received by said receiving means; and

display means for displaying said contents that are decompressed and decoded.

36. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said contents are in compliance with an MPEG2 scheme.

37. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said time period includes a nighttime.

38. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises display-schedule setting means for setting a schedule of display, and said contents-delivery means delivers said contents and said schedule of display to said plurality of terminal means, and wherein each of said plurality of terminals means comprises:

receiving means for receiving said contents and said schedule of display from said central delivery means;

displaying means for displaying said contents; and

terminal-control means for displaying said contents on said displaying means according to a schedule specified in said schedule of display,

wherein said central delivery means further delivers at least one of new contents and a new schedule of display to said plurality of terminal means such that at least one of the displayed contents or said schedule for displaying said contents is changed accordingly.

39. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises display-schedule setting means for setting a schedule of display, and said contents-delivery means combines said contents and said schedule of display into data of a single data structure, and delivers said data of said single data structure to said plurality of terminal means, wherein each of said plurality of terminal means extracts said contents and said schedule of display from said data of said single data structure, and displays said contents according to a schedule specified in said schedule of display.

40. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of terminal means comprises:

receiving means for receiving said contents from said central delivery means;

first displaying means for displaying said contents on a screen thereof;

image taking means for taking a picture of said screen of said first displaying means; and

still-image-transmission means for sending said pictures to said central delivery means.

41. The delivery system of claim 40, wherein said central delivery means further comprises second displaying means for displaying a plurality of pictures on said screen of said first displaying means taken at intervals during a last predetermined time period.

42. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein at least one of said plurality of terminal means comprises:

character-information-transmission means for generating and transmitting character information;

identification-transmission means for transmitting identification data of a terminal means of said plurality of terminal means and an operator;

terminal-system selecting means for generating selection data for selecting terminal means of said plurality of terminal means having said character information displayed thereon; and

selection-data transmission means for transmitting said selection data, and

wherein said central delivery means further comprises;

character-information receiving means for receiving said character information, said identification data, and said selection data via said communication means;

terminal-selection means for selecting particular terminal means of said plurality of terminal means based on the selection data; and

transmission means for transmitting said character information to said particular terminal means selected by said terminal-selection means when said identification data is valid.

43. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein said central delivery means further comprises memory means having a removable memory medium for recording said contents.

44. The delivery system of claim 27, wherein each of said plurality of terminal means comprises memory means having a removable memory medium for reading said contents.

45. A delivery method for delivering contents, comprising:

setting a delivery schedule for delivering said contents from a center system to a plurality of terminal systems;

delivering said contents based on said delivery schedule to said plurality of terminal systems via communication lines that connect said center system to said plurality of terminal systems;

receiving, at said plurality of terminal systems, said contents from said center system during a time period when a load at said plurality of terminal systems is lower than a predetermined level; and

displaying said contents at said plurality of terminal systems,

wherein at least one terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems sends to the center system a picture of a screen of said at least one terminal system on which the contents received from the center system is displayed.

46. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

registering terminal-attribute information of attributes of said plurality of terminal systems; and

controlling said terminal-attribute information such that said contents are delivered to some of said plurality of terminal systems based on said terminal-attribute information.

47. The delivery method of claim 46, wherein said registering terminal-attribute information comprises:

selecting a terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems based on an identification number of said terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems.

48. The delivery method of claim 46, wherein said registering terminal-attribute information comprises:

selecting a terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems based on information of a location where said terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems is installed.

49. The delivery method of claim 46, wherein said registering terminal-attribute information comprises:

selecting a terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems based on a telephone number of said terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems; and

establishing a connection between said center system and said terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems based on said telephone number information.

50. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

setting a schedule of display for displaying said contents at said plurality of terminal systems; and

delivering said schedule of display to said plurality of terminal systems.

51. The delivery method of claim 50, wherein said setting a delivery schedule further comprises:

receiving said contents and said schedule of display by a receiving unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems;

displaying said contents on a display unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems; and

controlling a display of said contents with a terminal-control unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems on said display unit based on a schedule specified in said schedule of display.

52. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

compressing said contents; and

coding said compressed contents.

53. The delivery method of claim 52, wherein said setting a delivery schedule further comprises:

receiving said compressed and coded contents by a receiving unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems;

decompressing and decoding said compressed and coded contents by a decompressing unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems; and

displaying said decompressed and decoded contents by a display unit of each terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems.

54. The delivery method of claim 45, wherein said contents are in compliance with an MPEG2 scheme.

55. The delivery method of claim 45, wherein said time period is a nighttime.

56. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

delivering at least one of new contents and a new schedule of display to said plurality of terminal systems such that at least one of said contents and said schedule for display is changed accordingly.

57. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

combining said contents and a schedule of display into data of a single data structure;

delivering said data of said single data structure to said plurality of terminal systems;

extracting said contents and said schedule of display from said data of said single data structure by each of said plurality of terminal systems; and

displaying said contents according to a schedule specified in said schedule of display on each of said plurality of terminal systems.

58. The delivery method of claim 45, wherein said delivering said context further comprises:

receiving said contents from said center system by a receiving unit of each of said plurality of terminal units;

displaying said contents on a screen of a first display unit of each of said plurality of terminal units;

taking pictures of said screen of said first display unit of each of said plurality of terminal units with a monitor camera; and

sending said pictures to said center system by a still-image-transmission unit of said plurality of terminal units.

59. The delivery method of claim 58, wherein said delivering said contents further comprises:

displaying said pictures on a screen of a second display unit of said center system; and

taking said pictures of the screen of said first display unit at intervals during a last predetermined time.

60. The delivery method of claim 45, wherein said delivering said contents further comprises:

generating and transmitting character-information by a character-information-transmission unit of at least one terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems;

transmitting identification data of a terminal system of said plurality of terminal systems and an operator by an identification-transmission unit of said at least one terminal system;

generating selection data by a terminal-system selecting unit of said at least one terminal system, for selecting some of said plurality of terminal systems having said character-information displayed thereon;

transmitting said selection data by a selection-data transmission unit of said at least one terminal system;

receiving said character-information, said identification data, and said selection data via said communication lines by a collector-information receiving unit of said at least one terminal system;

checking said identification data by an identification unit of said at least one terminal system;

selecting a terminal system by a terminal-selection unit of said at least one terminal system, based on said selection data; and

transmitting said character-information by a transmission unit of said at least one terminal system to said terminal system selected by said terminal-selection unit when said identification data is valid.

61. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

recording said contents by a removable memory medium of a memory unit of said center system.

62. The delivery method of claim 45, further comprising:

reading said contents by a memory unit having a removable memory medium present in each of said plurality of terminal systems.