Patent EP0656728A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0656728A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Bi-directional broadcasting system
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1994-11-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-11-16
Abstract
Abstract A bi-directional broadcasting system for preparing a plurality of pay video programs and a plurality of channels on the broadcasting side and designating one of the plurality of channels according to the selection of a specific pay video program by the receiving side to thereby broadcast the selected pay video program through the selected channel as occasion demands. In the bi-directional broadcasting system, a predetermined CM is broadcasted according to the allowable degree of video reception by each viewer prior to the broadcasting of the pay video program selected on the receiving side. A dip switch attached to a receiver is set according to the allowable degree of video reception by each viewer. Information about the setting of the dip switch is transmitted to the broadcasting side through a modem upon selecting the pay video program. Further, a control unit for controlling the frequency of reception of CM in the form of a picture is provided in a remote control transmitter. According to the above construction, the broadcasting side can properly correspond to the allowable degree of CM reception by the viewer. When the CM is sent to the viewer, the viewer can reliably watch it.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Yoshinobu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 19:00
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/458; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17327
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
88 words
A bi-directional broadcasting system for preparing a plurality of pay video programs and a plurality of channels on the broadcasting side and designating one of said plurality of channels according to a selection of a specific pay video program by a receiving side to thereby broadcast said selected pay video program through said selected channel at designated time, characterized in that predetermined advertisement material is broadcasted along with the broadcast for said selected pay video program according to the allowable degree of video reception by the receiving side.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
The bi-directional broadcasting system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said advertisement image is sent from the broadcasting side in data form.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
106 words
A bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus provided with selecting means capable of selectively receiving a plurality of channels and communicating means capable of communicating with a broadcasting side in such a manner that said communicating means requests the broadcasting side to broadcast a desired pay video program and said selecting means selects one of said plurality of channels, which is designated by the broadcasting side to thereby receive the broadcast for the desired pay video program, said bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus comprising: allowable-degree-of-reception setting means for setting the allowable degree of reception of advertisement material broadcasted from the broadcasting side along with the desired pay video program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said allowable-degree-of-reception setting means includes a group of switches.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A remote control device suitable for use in a bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus, which is capable of controlling at least selecting means of said bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus, comprising: allowable-degree-of-reception controlling means for controlling the allowable degree of reception of advertisement material broadcasted along with a desired pay video program received by said bi-directional broadcast receiving apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
195 words
A bi-directional broadcast system comprising: subscriber cable box comprising: broadcast receiving means for receiving and decoding program material, commercial message and menu information transmitted from a broadcast station; means for displaying said menu information on a display device; user input means for providing user input data corresponding to menu information displayed on a display device to said broadcast station; broadcast station comprising: transmitter for encoding and transmitting program material, commercial message information and menu information to said subscriber cable box; user input receiving means for receiving said user input data from said subscriber cable box; first storage means for storing subscriber data comprising user preference information; second storage means for storing program material; third storage means for storing commercial message information; menu information generating means for providing menu information; and controller means for controlling said transmitter to transmit program material stored in said second storage means, commercial message information stored in said third storage means, and menu information generated by said menu information generating means to said subscriber cable box at appropriate times, in accordance with said user input data received from said cable box and said subscriber data stored in said first storage means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A bi-directional Broadcast system according to claim 6 wherein said menu information comprises titles of program material available for broadcast and the available times of broadcast thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A bi-directional Broadcast system according to claim 6 wherein said user input data comprises information representing a program material title and broadcast time selected by a user.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A bi-directional Broadcast system according to claim 6 wherein said user preference information comprises data representing an allowable degree of commercial message information to be transmitted along with program material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
A cable box for use in a bi-directional broadcast system comprising: broadcast receiving means for receiving and decoding program material, commercial message and menu information transmitted from a broadcast station; means for displaying said menu information on a display device; user input means for providing user input data corresponding to menu information displayed on a display device and user preference information to said broadcast station; said user preference information comprises data representing an allowable degree of commercial message information to be transmitted by said broadcast station along with said program material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
137 words
A cable box for use in a bi-directional broadcast system comprising: broadcast receiving means for receiving and decoding program material, commercial message and menu information transmitted from a broadcast station; means for displaying said menu information on a display device; user input means for providing user input data corresponding to menu information displayed on a display device and user preference information to said broadcast station; commercial message storage means for storing said commercial message information received from said broadcast station; controller means for causing said commercial message information stored in said commercial message storage means to be displayed on a display device in response to a commercial message initiate signal from said broadcast station; and said commercial message initiate signal is generated at a predetermined time by said broadcast station in accordance with said user input data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
360 words
A bi-directional broadcast system comprising: subscriber cable box comprising: broadcast receiving means for receiving and decoding program material, commercial message and menu information transmitted from a broadcast station, said menu information comprises titles of program material available for broadcast and the available times of broadcast thereof; means for displaying said menu information on a display device; user input means for providing user input data corresponding to menu information displayed on a display device to said broadcast station; commercial message storage means for storing said commercial message information received from said broadcast station; controller means for causing said commercial message information stored in said commercial message storage means to be displayed on a display device in response to a commercial message initiate signal from said broadcast station; said commercial message initiate signal is generated at a predetermined time by said broadcast station in accordance with said user input data; said broadcast station comprises: transmitter means for encoding and transmitting program material, commercial message information and menu information to said subscriber cable box; user input receiving means for receiving said user input data from said subscriber cable box; first storage means for storing user preference information comprising a predetermined allowable degree of commercial message information which may be transmitted to be interspersed at appropriate times with said transmitted program material information; second storage means for storing program material; third storage means for storing commercial message information; menu information generating means for providing menu information; controller means for controlling said transmitter to transmit program material stored in said second storage means, commercial message information stored in said third storage means, and menu information generated by said menu information generating means to said subscriber cable box at appropriate times, in accordance with said user input data received from said cable box and said subscriber data stored in said first storage means; advisory message generating means for generating and transmitting an advisory message to said cable box to inform a user of the appropriate broadcast channel upon which said program material will be transmitted for reception; and commercial message initiate signal generator for generating and transmitting said commercial message initiate signal to said cable box.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
158 words
A method of broadcasting program material comprising the steps of : storing user preference information comprising an allowable degree of commercial message information to be transmitted and displayed during a broadcast of program material to a cable box receiver and which is associated with a particular subscriber, into a first storage means; storing program material into a second storage means; storing commercial message information into a third storage means; broadcasting said program material to a cable box receiver of a particular subscriber; interspersing said commercial message information into the broadcast of said program material in accordance with said user preference information stored in said first storage means so that said commercial message information stored in said third storage means is interspersed and displayed during the broadcast of said program material at predetermined times during said broadcast of program material, the frequency and duration of which is specified by said user preference information stored in said first storage means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
166 words
A method of broadcasting program material comprising the steps of: storing user preference information comprising an allowable degree of commercial message information to be transmitted and displayed during a broadcast of program material to a cable box receiver, and which is associated with a particular subscriber, into a first storage means; storing program material for broadcast into a second storage means; storing commercial message information into a third storage means; broadcasting said program material to a cable box receiver of said particular subscriber; broadcasting commercial message information to said cable box receiver of said particular subscriber and storing it in a commercial message storage memory within said cable box receiver; generating a commercial message initiate signal and broadcasting it to said cable box receiver so as to cause said commercial message information stored in said commercial message storage memory to be read out and interspersed within the broadcast program material at predetermined times, the frequency and duration of which are specified by said user preference information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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