Device and method for receiving information and device and method for transmitting information

• US 7,389,522 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/242,485
• Time in Patent Office: 3,651 Days
• Field of Search: 725 1- 8, 725 23- 24, 725/104
• US Class Current: 725/8
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4758 for providing answers, e.g. voting
• 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 21/4784 receiving rewards
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

The present invention makes viewers surely view commercial programs.

When a commercial program is broadcasted and displayed on a display (7A), a viewer is requested a response. The viewer operates a prescribed key in the ten key (32) of a remote controller (31) for response. If the viewer responds to the response request of the commercial program, points are added to a smart card (10). The viewer can view a pay program using the points recorded in the smart card (10).

Claims

1. An information receiving device for viewing programs, comprising:

receiving means for receiving a program for viewing by a viewer;

determining means for determining whether said program is a commercial program or a pay program;

wherein if said program is determined as said commercial program;

display means for displaying the commercial program to said viewer and a response request if the commercial program includes a response request;

the response request may be received by the receiving means at any time during the commercial program and said display means displays said response request when the commercial program has been viewed in its entirety by the viewer;

said receiving means receiving a viewer response from the viewer in response to said response request of the commercial program;

operating means for adding points corresponding to the commercial program to a present points value if said viewer response is received; and

a memory for storing said present points value, a commercial ID corresponding to the commercial program, and said viewer response;

wherein if said program is determined as said pay program;

said display means displaying said present points value from said memory and a points payment request for the pay program;

said operating means subtracting points corresponding to the pay program from the present points value stored in said memory if said points payment request is approved by the viewer; and

said display means displaying the pay program to the viewer.

2. The information receiving device according to claim 1, further comprising transmission means for transmitting the viewer response, the present points value, and the commercial ID stored in said memory.

3. A method of viewing programs, comprising:

a receiving step of receiving a program for viewing by a viewer,

a determining step of determining whether said program is a commercial program or a pay program;

wherein if said program is determined as said commercial program;

a commercial program displaying step of displaying the commercial program to said viewer and a response request if the commercial program includes a response request;

the response request may be received at any time during the commercial program and said commercial program displaying step displays said response request when the commercial program has been viewed in its entirety by the viewer;

a response receiving step of receiving a viewer response from the viewer in response to said response request of the commercial program;

wherein if said viewer response is received;

an operating step of adding points corresponding to the commercial program to a present points value stored in a memory; and

a storing step of storing said viewer response, said present points value,

and a commercial ID corresponding to the commercial program in said memory;

wherein if said program is determined as said pay program;

a payment displaying step of displaying said present points value from said memory and a points payment request for the pay program;

wherein if said points payment request is approved by the viewer, points corresponding to the pay program are subtracted from the present points value stored in said memory; and

a pay program displaying step of displaying the pay program to the viewer.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising a step of transmitting the viewer response, the present points value, and the commercial ID stored in said memory.