Content providing system and method, content providing apparatus and method, content receiver and method, recording medium, and program

• US 7,975,276 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshida, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Kieu Oanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chokshi, Pinkal R
• Application Number:
  US10/561,617
• Publication Number:
  US 20070044131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,594 Days
• Field of Search: 725 22- 24, 725/32, 725 34- 36, 725/60, 725/112, 725/118, 725/136, 725/148, 434/350
• US Class Current: 725/24
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/06 among broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/106 Receiver-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/40 characterised in that additional data relating to the broadcast data are available via a different channel than the broadcast channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/07 characterised by processes or methods for the generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/43 for identifying broadcast channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2542 for selling goods, e.g. TV shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a content providing system and method, a content providing apparatus and method, a content receiver and method, a recording medium, and a program that make it possible to provide viewers with transaction contents at low cost. Plural broadcasting apparatuses include trigger contents in program contents and broadcast the program contents to digital television receivers. The broadcasting apparatus broadcasts transaction contents that are displayed when the trigger contents of the plural broadcasting apparatus are turned on by the plural digital television receivers. It is possible to apply the invention to a digital television broadcasting system.

Claims

1. A content providing system, comprising:

a receiver;

a plurality of first broadcast apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels, each one of the first broadcast apparatuses including;

a program content providing unit that provides associated program content;

a second broadcast apparatus, including;

a transaction content providing unit that provides transaction content for transmission to the receiver over a second broadcast channel, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the associated program content of each one of the plurality of first broadcast channels;

each one of the first broadcast apparatuses further including;

a trigger content providing unit that provides associated trigger content that serves as a trigger for reproducing a portion of the transaction content in the receiver, the trigger content including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates, and

a combining unit that combines the associated program content and the associated trigger content for transmission to the receiver over its associated first broadcast channel as combined content;

wherein the receiver

(a) receives the combined content transmitted over a selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels,

(b) when the associated trigger content is triggered by a user while the receiver is receiving the program content associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, (i) switches from receiving over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content, (ii) extracts the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the associated trigger content, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel, (iii) performs processing using the extracted program, (iv) receives the transaction content provided by the transaction content providing unit over the second broadcast channel, (v) extracts from the received transaction content the one or more templates, and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the associated trigger content, and (vi) causes reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information, and

(c) when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted, switches from receiving over the second broadcast channel to receiving over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels and again receives the associated program content.

2. A content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the receiver transmits, over a network, information inputted by the user based on the displayed transaction content and provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on the trigger content triggered by the user.

3. A content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the transaction content providing unit provides, as the portion of the transaction content, content for causing the user while viewing the displayed program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

4. A content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the transaction content providing unit provides, over the second broadcast channel, common content within the transaction content that is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

25. A content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

26. A content providing system according to claim 1, wherein the transaction content providing apparatus provides, as the portion of transaction content, content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.

5. A content providing method, comprising:

providing, at each one of a plurality of first broadcast apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels, program content associated with that first broadcast channel;

providing, at a second broadcast apparatus, transaction content for transmission to a receiver over a second broadcast channel, the transaction content including information incidental to the program content, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the associated program content of each one of the plurality of first broadcast channels;

providing, for each one of the plurality of first broadcast apparatuses, associated trigger content that serves as a trigger for reproducing a portion of the transaction content in the receiver, the trigger content including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates;

combining, at each one of the plurality of first broadcast apparatuses, the associated program content and the associated trigger content;

transmitting, at each one of the plurality of first broadcast apparatuses, the associated combined content over its associated first broadcast channel;

receiving, at the receiver, the combined content transmitted over a selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels;

when the associated trigger content is triggered by a user while the receiver is receiving the combined content transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels,

the receiver (i) switching from receiving over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content, (ii) extracting the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the associated trigger content, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel, (iii) performing processing using the extracted program, (iv) receiving the transaction content over the second broadcast channel, (v) extracting from the received transaction content the one or more templates and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the associated trigger content, and (vi) causing reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information; and

when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted in the receiver, the receiver switching from receiving over the second broadcast channel to receiving over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels and again receives the associated program content.

6. A content providing method according to claim 5, wherein the receiver transmits, over a network, information inputted by the user based on the displayed transaction content and provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on the trigger content triggered by the user.

7. A content providing method according to claim 5, wherein the portion of the transaction content is content for causing the user while viewing the displayed program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

8. A content providing method according to claim 5, wherein common content within the transaction content is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

27. A content providing method according to claim 5, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

28. A content providing method according to claim 5, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.

9. A content receiver, comprising:

receiving means that receives, from among a plurality of program content providing apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels each of which provides combined program content and trigger content respectively associated with that first broadcast channel, the combined program content and trigger content provided by a selected one of a plurality of program content providing apparatuses over its associated first broadcast channel or that receives transaction content provided by a transaction content providing apparatus over a second broadcast channel, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels serving as a trigger for reproducing the transaction content, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the plurality of program content, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates;

judging means that judges whether the portion of transaction content is indicated based on triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels while the associated program content is received on the selected first broadcast channel by the receiving means; and

switching control means that, (a) when the judging means judges that the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels is triggered, causes the receiving means to (i) switch from receiving the combined content transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content, (ii) extract the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel, (iii) perform processing using the extracted program, (iv) receive the transaction content provided by the transaction content providing apparatus over the second broadcast channel, (v) extract from the received transaction content the one or more templates and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, and (vi) cause reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information, and (b) when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted, causes the receiving means to switch from receiving over the second broadcast channel to again receiving the associated program content over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels.

10. A content receiver according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting means that transmits, via a network, information inputted from the user based on the displayed transaction content and provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on trigger content triggered by the user.

11. A content receiver according to claim 9, wherein the receiving means receives, as the portion of transaction content, content for causing the user while viewing the displayed program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

12. A content receiver according to claim 9, wherein common content within the transaction content is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

29. A content receiver according to claim 9, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

30. A content receiver according to claim 9, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.

13. A content receiving method, comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving, from among a plurality of program content providing apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels each of which provides combined program content and trigger content respectively associated with that first broadcast channel, the combined program content and trigger content provided by a selected one of a plurality of program content providing apparatuses over its associated first broadcast channel, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels serving as a trigger for reproducing transaction content, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the plurality of program content, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates;

a judging step of judging whether the portion of transaction content is indicated by a user based on triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels while the associated program content is received on the selected first broadcast channel, the transaction content including information incidental to the program content;

when it is judged during the judging step that the transaction content is indicated,

a first switching control step of switching from receiving the combined content transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels,

a first extracting step of extracting the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel,

a processing step of performing processing using the extracted program,

a second receiving step of receiving the transaction content provided by a transaction content providing apparatus over a second broadcast channel,

a second extracting step of extracting from the received transaction content the one or more templates and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, and

a causing step of causing reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information; and

when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted,

a second switching control step of switching from receiving over the second broadcast channel to again receiving the associated program content over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels.

14. A content receiving method according to claim 13, further comprising a transmitting step of transmitting, via a network, information inputted from the user based on the displayed transaction content and provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on trigger content triggered by the user.

15. A content receiving method according to claim 13, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the user while viewing the program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

16. A content receiving method according to claim 13, wherein common content within the transaction content is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

31. A content receiving method according to claim 13, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

32. A content receiving method according to claim 13, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium having recorded therein a computer program for carrying out a content receiving method, the method comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving, from among a plurality of program content providing apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels each of which provides combined program content and trigger content respectively associated with that first broadcast channel, the combined program content and trigger content provided by a selected one of a plurality of program content providing apparatuses over its associated first broadcast channel, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels serving as a trigger for reproducing transaction content, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the plurality of program content, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates;

a judging step of judging whether the portion of transaction content is indicated by a user based on triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels while the associated program content is received on the selected first broadcast channel, the transaction content including information incidental to the program content;

when it is judged during the judging step that the transaction content is indicated,

a first switching control step of switching from receiving the combined content transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels,

a first extracting step of extracting the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel,

a processing step of performing processing using the extracted program,

a second receiving step of receiving the transaction content provided by a transaction content providing apparatus over a second broadcast channel,

a second extracting step of extracting from the received transaction content the one or more templates and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, and

a causing step of causing reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information; and

when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted,

a second switching control step of switching from receiving over the second broadcast channel to again receiving the associated program content over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises a transmitting step of transmitting, via a network, information inputted from the user based on the displayed transaction content and provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on trigger content triggered by the user.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the user while viewing the program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein common content within the transaction content is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

33. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

34. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.

21. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out a content receiving method, the method comprising:

a first receiving step of receiving, from among a plurality of program content providing apparatuses respectively associated with transmission over a plurality of first broadcast channels each of which provides combined program content and trigger content respectively associated with that first broadcast channel, the combined program content and trigger content provided by a selected one of a plurality of program content providing apparatuses over its associated first broadcast channel, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels serving as a trigger for reproducing transaction content, the transaction content including a plurality of templates, at least some of the plurality of templates corresponding to various transaction types, the transaction content further including a plurality of replacement information incidental to the plurality of program content, the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels including a program to be executed in response to the associated trigger content being triggered, one or more identifiers respectively associated with at least one of one or more of the plurality of templates or one or more of the plurality of replacement information for insertion into the one or more of the plurality of templates;

a judging step of judging whether the portion of transaction content is indicated by a user based on triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels while the associated program content is received on the selected first broadcast channel, the transaction content including information incidental to the program content;

when it is judged during the judging step that the transaction content is indicated,

a first switching control step of switching from receiving the combined content transmitted over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels to receiving over the second broadcast channel in response to the triggering of the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels,

a first extracting step of extracting the program to be executed and the one or more identifiers from the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, including a designated channel representing a broadcast channel to be switched to in response to the associated trigger content being triggered by the user, a switching command for causing the receiver to receive the broadcast channel designated in the designated channel, and a module ID and a questionnaire identification number identifying a transaction contents module to be extracted from plural transaction contents modules broadcast on the designated channel,

a processing step of performing processing using the extracted program,

a second receiving step of receiving the transaction content provided by a transaction content providing apparatus over a second broadcast channel,

a second extracting step of extracting from the received transaction content the one or more templates and the one or more replacement information associated with the identifiers included in the trigger content respectively associated with the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels, and

a causing step of causing reproduction of at least some of the transaction content based on the extracted templates and the extracted replacement information; and

when end of viewing of the transaction content is inputted,

a second switching control step of switching from receiving over the second broadcast channel to again receiving the associated program content over the selected one of the plurality of first broadcast channels.

22. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out the content receiving method according to claim 21, wherein the method further comprises a transmitting step of transmitting, via a network, information inputted from the user based on the displayed transaction content provided to an information processing apparatus that performs processing based on trigger content triggered by the user.

23. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out the content receiving method according to claim 21, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the user while viewing the program content to input a response to a questionnaire.

24. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out a content receiving method according to claim 21, wherein common content within the transaction content is common to two or more of the plurality of templates.

35. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out a content receiving method according to claim 21, wherein the trigger content includes a switching command, and a designated channel for the second broadcast channel.

36. A processor encoded with a computer program for carrying out a content receiving method according to claim 21, wherein the portion of transaction content is content for causing the viewer to input information necessary for purchasing a commodity.