JP2834015B2 - CATV system that provides additional information - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CATV which provides additional information.
Regarding the system, especially from CATV provider company facilities
Additional information providing CAT for providing a CATV program to a TV receiver in a TV subscriber facility and providing additional information related to the content of the CATV program to a personal computer communication terminal
V system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional CATV system uses a CATV system.
Various information related to a program has been provided only to CATV subscribers by a program other than the program (for example, information led by a CATV provider such as "program announcement").

[0003] In the case of bidirectional CATV, since the CATV subscriber has the right to select a CATV program, additional information required by the subscriber is also transmitted to the CATV subscriber who has performed the program selection operation. Only was transmitted as part of the CATV program.

Therefore, a CAT requiring additional information
The V-subscriber has obtained additional information by watching a program in which additional information other than the program is broadcast together with the provided CATV program.

Another example of the prior art is disclosed in
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-49578 discloses a "character graphic information service system for a cable television network terminal device". In this system, a CATV line connected to a CATV station is provided.
A plurality of terminal devices connected to the CATV line;
A communication processing device provided in a TV station and a connection means for connecting an arbitrary terminal device of the plurality of terminal devices to the communication processing device in response to the request; and a character / graphic processing device constituting a character / graphic information communication network. An interface for connecting to the communication processing device is provided, and the character / graphic information of the character / graphic information communication network can be used by the terminal device which has issued the request through these devices.

[0006]

In this conventional CATV system, a CATV provider provides a CATV that is provided.
Since the additional information is provided as a program program similar to the program, it is necessary for the CATV subscriber to view the additional information during the time when the program of the additional information is broadcasted. The CATV provider provides the CATV subscriber with the original CATV. There has been a problem that the user is required to view the program during a broadcast time other than the program.

[0007] Further, since the additional information to be provided is provided in the same image and sound as the CATV program, when the CATV subscriber wants to record the additional information, the subscriber terminal side facility is provided with a video as well as a TV receiver. There is a problem that it is necessary to prepare another recording medium such as a deck.

[0008] Another example of the above-mentioned conventional technique is C
The present invention allows an ATV network terminal user to view character / graphic information of a character / graphic information communication network on an existing CATV terminal device without providing a dedicated terminal. All of the actions are significantly different.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an additional information providing type CATV system which allows a CATV subscriber watching a CATV program to acquire additional information related to the CATV program using a system other than the CATV program providing system. Is to provide.

[0010]

According to the present invention, a CAT is provided.
V program provider company facility to TV in CATV subscriber facility
Pressurized with a CATV system and the CATV system provides CATV programs receiver operate in the same
The management database including the subscriber information is stored in the CATV system.
Data using a computer that is shared and managed by the computer
In communication systems , specialized in the CATV system
And the additional information relating to the contents of CATV program, the CATV cis a data communication system using the Paso <br/> con
Using the personal computer in a facility
CA by the data communication function of the data communication system
TV data communication using the personal computer of the subscriber within the facility
Additional information providing type CATV system is obtained, which comprises providing to limit the system user.

Further, the CATV program providing company side facility is connected to a plurality of CATV subscriber facilities through a CATV transmission line and a tap-off (terminal circuit), and a database for managing CATV data, and the CATV subscriber facility in the database. A program from a CATV broadcasting apparatus is transmitted through a head end (terminal station) based on data on
Center TDMA for time division multiple access transmission to ATV transmission line
Equipment and the center TDMA through a digital exchange.
And a communication system control unit using a PC connected to the device, the <br/> PCs each CATV subscriber facilities which are connected to the tapped-off through the digital data network unit, the telephone and the TV receiver the provided, the subscriber information data communication system controller using the computer holds referable from the CATV broadcaster
The additional information providing type CATV system is obtained.

[0012]

Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing an embodiment of a CATV system for providing additional information according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a CATV system for providing additional information according to this embodiment is a CATV program providing company-side facility 1.
Through the trunk amplifier 8a, the branch amplifier 8b, the CATV transmission line 9, and the tap-offs 10a, 10b,.
A plurality of CATV subscriber facility 11a which is connected to V program providing company side facility 1, 11b, ... and an equipped, CATV subscriber from the CATV program Hisage <br/> subjected corporate side facilities 1 facilities 11a, 11
b, ... , and CATV programs
An interactive CATV system that can also transmit information from the TV subscriber facilities 11a, 11b,... To the CATV program providing company facility 1, and a CATV program from the CATV program providing company facility 1 to the CATV.
. And a personal computer communication system for providing additional information to the subscriber facilities 11a, 11b,.

[0015] The CATV program providing company facility 1 has a CATV program including a database for managing CATV data.
A data management unit 4; a center TDMA device 5 for transmitting a program from the CATV broadcasting device 3 to the CATV transmission line 9 through the head end 6 based on various data on CATV subscriber facilities in the database; A data communication system control unit using a personal computer connected to the center TDMA device 5 through the exchange
Lower communication controller ) .

Also, each CATV subscriber facility, for example, CA
TV subscriber facility 11a phones (TPH) 13 connected to the tapping-off 10a through the digital data network units (DSU) 12, PCs (PC) 14 and T
A V receiver (TV) 15 is provided.

That is, the bidirectional CATV system uses the CA
.. From the CATV broadcasting apparatus 3 only to the CATV subscribers to be provided based on various data on the CATV subscriber facilities 11a, 11b,... In the database in the TV data management unit 4.
Provides ATV programs.

At this time, the image data and the audio data of the provided CATV program pass through the center TDMA device 5 and the head end 6, pass through the CATV transmission line 9, and are tapped off while preventing the data from being attenuated by the main line amplifier 8a and the branch amplifier 8b. Are branched at 10a, 10b,.
Are received at the TV subscriber facilities 11a, 11b,... Then, in each CATV subscriber facility, for example, the CATV subscriber facility 11a, the image data and the audio data of the CATV program are reproduced by the TV 15 through the DSU 12.

On the other hand, the transmission of the additional information data in the personal computer communication system is controlled by the personal computer communication control unit 2, and the transmission additional information data is transmitted to the digital exchange 7, the center TDMA device 5, the head end 6, and the CAT.
Via the V transmission line 9, the main line amplifier 8a and the branch amplifier 8b,
The signal is branched by tap-off and received by the PC 14.
The time when the PC 14 receives the additional information data is when the personal computer communication network is accessed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described in detail.

When the CATV program providing company facility 1 transmits image data, it is necessary to determine which CATV subscriber facility should transmit the image data. The criteria for the determination are the CATV data management unit 4 This is the terminal user verification number for each CATV subscriber facility that exists in the database within.

In the facility 1 on the CATV program providing company side, for example, when a program request is made from the CATV subscriber facility 11a, the CATV subscriber facility 11a is read out from the database based on the terminal user identification number of the CATV subscriber facility 11a. A program providing schedule for the program 11a is created, and when the program providing start time comes, the program is provided from the CATV broadcasting device 3.

When providing the additional information, the data transmission function of the personal computer communication system is used. Where CAT
In order to associate the provision of the V program with the data transmission of the personal computer communication, common management data is required for the mutual communication. In this embodiment, the terminal user verification number of the personal computer communication is the management data.

Therefore, the terminal user verification number of the CATV subscriber facility 11a and the user verification number of the PC 14
By registering and managing the database in the ATV data management unit 4, the CATV program provider company facility 1
When the CATV program is provided based on the database of the TV data management unit 4, the C
The terminal user verification number of the ATV subscriber facility 11a has been clarified, and the same CATV subscriber facility 11a has been identified.
The user verification number of the PC 14 in the inside is also clarified.

The use of the user identification number of the PC 14 makes it possible to transmit data in the personal computer communication system.
The provision of the additional information to the PC 14 in 1a can be realized.

[0026]

As described above, the present invention provides a CATV
Subscribers as well as the same the operations and CATV system and the CATV system to provide a CATV program from the program providing company side facility to the TV receiver of the CATV subscriber within the facility
A management database containing user information is shared with the CATV system.
Data communication system using a personal computer
In the system , CATV specialized in CATV system
Additional information related to the contents of the program, was using a personal computer
Data communication system built with CATV system
The data communication function of the data communication system using a personal computer at a PCV subscriber facility
By providing limited to the data communication system of the user using, also, as that embodiment, the CA
The facility on the side of the TV program provider is connected to a plurality of CATV subscriber facilities through a CATV transmission line and tap-off.
A database that manages ATV data and CA based on CATV subscriber facilities in the database.
CAT broadcasts programs from TV broadcasting equipment through the headend
A center TDMA device for transmitting time-division multiple access to the V transmission path; and a communication system control unit using a personal computer connected to the center TDMA device through a digital exchange. PCs, telephones and includes a TV receiver, CATV subscriber information data communication <br/> signal system control unit using the computer holds to be connected to the tap-off
By making it possible to refer to the broadcast device, there is an effect that the CATV subscriber does not need to select a program other than the CATV program in order to obtain the additional information.

[0027] In addition, data communication cis was using a personal computer
By also held Managing Users reference number of the PC communication terminals Temu control unit is held in the database,
There is an effect that the type of the program and the additional information required by the CATV subscriber can be simultaneously grasped by the CATV program providing company.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing one embodiment of a CATV system for providing additional information according to the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 CATVprogramProvider company facility 2Data communication system control unit using personal computer
(PC communication control unit)  Reference Signs List 3 CATV broadcasting device 4 CATV data management unit 5 Center TDMA device 6 Headend 7 Digital exchange 8a Main line amplifier 8b Branch amplifier 9 CATV transmission line 10a, 10b Tap off 11a, 11b CATV subscriber facility 12 Digital data network termination unit (DSU) 13 Telephone (TPH) 14 Pasoko(PC) 15 TV receiver (TV)

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-133084 (JP, A) JP-A-1-120654 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H04N 7/16-7/173

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A CAT from a CATV program provider company facility
CATV system for providing CATV programs to TV receivers in V-subscriber facilities and operation with this CATV system
Management database that contains the same and subscriber information
Of the form to share and manage with the CATV system
In a data communication system using a computer , the CA
Additional information related to the contents of CATV program that specializes in TV system, data communication system using the PC
Is a facility built with the system attached to the CATV system,
The personal computer of the CATV subscriber within the facility by the data communication function of the data communication system using the PC
A CATV system for providing additional information, wherein the CATV system is provided only to users of a data communication system that uses the Internet . 2. The facility on the CATV program providing company side is a CA
A database which is connected to a plurality of CATV subscriber facilities through a TV transmission line and tap-off and manages CATV data, and a program from a CATV broadcasting apparatus is transmitted via a head end to the program from the CATV broadcasting apparatus based on data on the CATV subscriber facilities in the database. A center TDMA device for transmitting a time-division multiple access to a transmission path, and a personal computer connected to the center TDMA device through a digital exchange
And a communication system control unit using the CAT.
V subscriber facility PCs connected to said tapped-off through the digital data network unit, provided with a telephone and the TV receiver, the data communication <br/> signal system control unit using the computer holds Subscriber information is stored in the CA
2. The additional information provision type CATV system according to claim 1, wherein the additional information provision type CATV system can be referred to from a TV broadcasting device .