Broadcast program scene notification system

• US 7,457,582 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Inventors: Kamada, Tomihisa, Abiko, Toshimizu, Sekiguchi, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh; Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/570,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.01, 455/3.02, 455/3.04, 455/3.06, 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/432.3, 348/565, 348/473, 348/476, 348/474, 725/138, 345/632, 709/205
• US Class Current: 455/3.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234345 the reformatting operation being performed only on part of the stream, e.g. a region of the image or a time segment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• 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 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8456 : by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17345 : Control of the passage of the selected programme

Abstract

A registration server (40) is connected to a mobile terminal (20) via a communication network (10) and registers desired scene information specifying a desired scene of a user in a broadcast program together with the communication address information (telephone number or mail address or the like) of the mobile terminal (20). A scene management server (42) classifies and manages the scene information on the real scene appearing in the broadcast program. A message transmission server (46) checks whether the real scene corresponds to the desired scene. If it does, the scene management server (42) transmits scene information indicating that broadcast of the desired scene is or has been started via the communication network (10) or the data broadcast to the user, i.e., the mobile terminal (20). In response to the notification of the scene information, the user of the mobile terminal (20) can view the scene substantially in real time by the TV On instruction without performing channel setting.

Claims

1. A broadcast program scene notification method directed to a terminal device having data communication capability and broadcast receiving/reproducing capability, the method comprising the steps of:

registering desired scene information specifying a desired scene within a broadcast program, the scene being desired by a user at said terminal device, together with communication address information of the terminal device;

classifying and managing scene information as to a real scene appearing in the broadcast program;

checking whether or not said real scene corresponds to said desired scene;

transmitting to the terminal device of the user, scene information indicating for the user that broadcast of the desired scene is going to start or has started, when said real scene corresponds to said desired scene;

wherein, a start of the broadcast program scene is notified substantially in real time;

receiving from each terminal device, audience information including at least an information item indicating that broadcast receiving/reproducing capability has been turned on, in response to the notification of said broadcast program scene; and

checking a status of audience.

2. The broadcast program scene notification method according to claim 1, wherein,

said scene information includes channel information indicating a channel through which said scene is put on the air, and at least one of the followings:

title information of the scene to be notified and start time of the scene.

3. The broadcast program scene notification method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein,

transmission of said scene information is performed by anyone of the followings:

a message communication utilizing a phone number as said communication address information, mail communication utilizing an E-mail address as said communication address information, and data broadcast including user identification information.

4. The broadcast program scene notification method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of adding advertisement information to the scene information to be broadcasted and broadcasting the scene information with the advertisement information, in response to the notification of broadcasting start of said broadcast program scene.

5. The broadcast program scene notification method according to claim 1, wherein,

advertisement information is transmitted via data communication in accordance with broadcasting the scene, in response to the notification of broadcasting start of said broadcast program scene.

6. A broadcast program scene notification system directed to a terminal device having data communication capability and broadcast receiving/reproducing capability, comprising:

a registration server which is connected to said terminal device via a communication network, and registers desired scene information specifying a desired scene of a user within a broadcast program, together with communication address information of the terminal device;

a management server which classifies and manages scene information as to a real scene appearing in a broadcast program;

a transmission server which checks whether or not said real scene corresponds to said desired scene, and transmits to the terminal device of the user via said communication network, scene information indicating that broadcasting the desired scene is going to start or has started for the user, when said real scene corresponds to said desired scene;

wherein, said transmission server notifies a start of the broadcast program scene substantially in real time; and

an audience status checking server which receives from each terminal device, audience information including at least an information item indicating that broadcast receiving/reproducing capability has been turned on, in response to the notification of said broadcast program scene, and then checks a status of audience.

7. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6, wherein,

said scene information includes channel information indicating a channel through which said scene is put on the air, and at least one of the followings:

title information of the scene to be notified and start time of the scene.

8. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein,

transmission of said scene information is performed by any one of the followings:

a message communication utilizing a phone number as said communication address information, mail communication utilizing an E-mail address as said communication address information, and data broadcast including user identification information.

9. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6, further comprising:

an advertisement server which delivers advertisement information by either of broadcasting and data communication;

wherein,

said advertisement server performs either of the followings;

adding the advertisement information to the scene information to be broadcasted and broadcasts the scene information with the advertisement information, in response to the notification of broadcasting start of said broadcast program scene, and delivering the advertisement information to the terminal device via the data communication.

10. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6, wherein,

said registration server has a user scene correspondence table in which a user on said terminal device is associated with desired scene ID information.

11. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6, wherein,

said management server has a scene management table in which each real scene is associated with at least corresponding desired scene ID information and scene title information.

12. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 11, wherein,

said scene management table further includes channel information and start time information of the program with respect to the real scene.

13. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6, wherein,

said audience information further includes, any of the following information items;

a point of time when the broadcast receiving/reproducing capability was turned ON, when it was turned OFF, a period of time from ON to OFF, scene information having been notified, channel change information, channel change time, and scene notification opened information.

14. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 6 or 13, comprising:

an authentication server relaying a transmission of transmission data from said terminal device to said audience status checking server;

wherein, said authentication server is installed on a cell phone carrier site, and performs a user authentication process based on a terminal ID of the terminal device.

15. The broadcast program scene notification system according to claim 14, wherein,

said authentication server adds to the transmission data, at least one of the following information items;

positional information of the terminal device and personal data of the user at the terminal device.

16. A computer-readable storage medium containing a broadcast program scene notification program which makes a broadcast program scene notification to a terminal device having data communication capability and broadcast receiving!reproducing capability, comprising instructions for:

registering desired scene information specifying a desired scene within a broadcast program, the scene being desired by a user at said terminal device, together with communication address information of the terminal device;

classifying and managing scene information as to a real scene appearing in the broadcast program;

checking whether or not said real scene corresponds to said desired scene;

transmitting to the terminal device of the user, scene information indicating for the user that broadcast of the desired scene is going to start or has started, when said real scene corresponds to said desired scene;

wherein, a start of broadcast program scene is notified substantially in real time;

receiving from each terminal device, audience information including at least an information item indicating that broadcast receiving/reproducing capability has been turned on, in response to the notification of said broadcast program scene; and

checking a status of audience.

17. A terminal device comprising:

a communication unit which receives/reproduces broadcasting and receives data of broadcast program including channel information;

a TV signal receiver which extracts said channel information thus received;

a central control unit which sets a receiving channel of said communication unit based on the channel information thus extracted, and starts said communication unit; and

a recorder which performs overwrite recording continuously as to the latest portion of the broadcast program having been received, the portion corresponding to a predetermined period of time;

wherein, said TV signal receiver receives time information along with said channel information, and said central control unit stops recording by said recorder upon receipt of a scene notification, and starts reproduction from said recorder, a scene designated by the channel information and the time information in the scene notification.

18. The terminal device according to claim 17, wherein, shifting to an operation mode for performing overwrite recording continuously as to the latest portion of the broadcast program, the portion corresponding to a predetermined period of time, is carried out in response to a message received from outside, instructing to shift to the operation mode.

19. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which is executed on a terminal device having data communication capability and broadcast receiving/reproducing capability, comprising instructions for:

receiving data of broadcast program including channel information;

extracting said channel information thus received;

setting a receiving channel based on said channel information thus extracted, and starts up broadcast receiving/reproducing;

performing overwrite recording continuously as to the latest portion of the broadcast program having been received, the portion corresponding to a predetermined period of time;

receiving time information along with said channel information;

stopping the overwrite recording upon receipt of a scene notification; and

staffing reproduction of a scene designated by the channel information and the time information in the scene notification.