JPH0646419A - Tv charging system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a 'pay-per-view' system to receive indevidual program at charge without inclusive contract. CONSTITUTION:A charging center 41 transmits a viewing grant code to a data communication equipment 43 for viewing the charged programs in response to the charged program viewing request given from a charged program viewing applicant via the equipment 43 and a public telegram/telephone circuit 42. Then the charging center 41 also collects the charges. Meanwhile a tuner/decoder 15 and a CATV adaptor/decoder 23 that received the viewing grant codes display the TV images on the TV receivers 16 and 24. Then the center 41 transmits an allotting grant code to the equipment 43 for allotment of the teletext programs in response to the teletext program allotting request given from a teletext allotter via the equipment 43 and the circuit 42. The center 41 also collects the charges. Meanwhile a teletext receiver 34 receives the allotting grant code and allots the teletext images based on the grant code.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a billing system for providing broadcasting contents for satellite TV broadcasting by broadcasting satellite (BS) / communication satellite (CS), cable TV broadcasting, or terrestrial TV broadcasting for a fee. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Today, which is said to be in the information age, in addition to ordinary terrestrial TV broadcasting, BS (Broadcasting Satellite), C
Satellite TV called S (Communication Satellite)
CA using broadcasting, coaxial cable or optical cable
Cable TV broadcasting called TV (Cable Television) is becoming popular. In addition, character multiplex broadcasting, in which information such as characters is separately transmitted using these broadcast TV radio waves, is becoming popular.

Unlike conventional terrestrial TV broadcasting media, which can be viewed by anyone, these satellite TV broadcasts are scrambled so that only specific viewers who have a viewing contract can view them. A tuner / transmitter that broadcasts TV programs and has a descrambling function
Some use a decoder to receive for a fee.

In order to view a program in this pay satellite TV broadcast, it is necessary to use a dedicated tuner / decoder. An ID code is given to this tuner / decoder, and an ID code is transmitted from the satellite periodically (for example, once a month), and only the tuner / decoder that has received this ID code has the descrambling function. Is configured.

[0005] Therefore, not only the viewer cannot view the content at any time by contract, but if he / she fails to receive the ID code for some reason, he / she cannot view the content even though he / she has the contract. Sometimes. Further, since the tuner / decoder is dedicated, the number of tuners / decoders also increases when trying to listen to many pay satellite TV broadcasting stations.

[0006] In addition, in the CATV capable of simultaneously delivering several tens of channels, in addition to general channels that are not scrambled that can be viewed by a comprehensive contract, specializations in movies, sports, music, etc. Special channels are provided, and these specialized T
The V channel is a scrambled pay TV channel, and in order to watch this scrambled channel, it is necessary to make a contract to cancel the scramble, but this contract period is usually Since it is done in units of about one month, it is not possible to view it due to occasional contracts.

In order to view sports broadcast programs, movie programs, music programs, etc., which are broadcast on such scrambled satellite TV broadcasts or CATV channels in program units, a viewing time recording device is provided for each receiver. Although there is a system where payment is made and payment is made post-payment according to the viewing record, manpower is required to manage this system and collect fees.

Further, even if the terrestrial wave or the satellite TV broadcast is free for general viewers to watch, the received one is re-distributed to a large number of display devices for secondary use. May be charged for copyright reasons.

Character-multiplexed broadcasting is a typical broadcast program used by re-delivery, and in this character-multiplexed broadcasting, news, stock price information, exchange information, traffic information, event information, various market conditions, various reservation statuses. Since information that many people are interested in is being disseminated, it is very useful if it is installed in a place where people gather. Since most of the character multiplex broadcasting is performed by normal terrestrial broadcasting, there is no charge, but in the case of secondary usage where the received data is redistributed and used for many display devices, the same applies. Due to copyright, there will be a charge.

In this way, when watching terrestrial TV broadcasting or character multiplex broadcasting for a fee, there is no means for making a viewing contract for each individual program like satellite TV broadcasting or CATV, so a pay program desired to be watched. You must make a viewing contract for each channel that delivers.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventions of the present application are intended to solve the problems that cannot be solved by the conventional techniques, that is, the inventions of the present application include a comprehensive contract. An object of the present invention is to provide a television billing system capable of realizing so-called "pay-per-view" in which individual programs are received for a fee without performing the above.

[0012]

In order to solve this problem, in the present application, a pay program viewing contract is made through a public telephone line connected to a billing center, that is, "pay program". In response to a pay program viewing application made from a viewer by using a data communication device via a public telephone line, the billing center transmits a viewing permission code for viewing the pay program to the data communication device. An invention and a "text broadcasting" characterized in that the receiving device that has collected the fee and has received the viewing permission code is characterized in that the TV image is displayed on the TV receiver according to the viewing permission code. A billing session is applied to a telecast program distribution application made by a program distributor using a data communication device via a public telephone line. The terminal sends a distribution permission code for distributing the teletext program to the data communication device and collects a fee.The teletext receiving device that receives the distribution permission code delivers the teletext image according to the distribution permission code. The present invention provides a "TV billing system".

[0013]

[Function] A person who wants to watch a pay program can access the telephone line.
Contract with a billing center to receive a viewing permission code, and scramble with the viewing permission code to view the program.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a TV billing system of the present invention. This TV billing system includes a satellite TV broadcasting system 1, a CATV system 2, a character multiplex broadcasting system 3 using terrestrial TV broadcasting, and a billing system. It is composed of 4.

In a satellite TV broadcasting system 1 such as BS or CS, 11 is a satellite TV broadcasting ground station, and a satellite communication transmitting antenna 12 scrambles a stationary satellite 13 in a stationary orbit about 30,000 km above the equator. A TV radio wave composed of the generated TV signal and program code is transmitted. The geostationary satellite 13, which has received the TV radio wave transmitted from the satellite communication transmission antenna 12, amplifies the received TV radio wave, converts it into a frequency in the 10 GHz range, and transmits it to the ground.

[0016] The viewer receives 1 transmitted from the geostationary satellite 13.
The satellite TV receiving antenna 14 receives 0 GHz TV radio waves, converts them to frequencies in the 1 GHz range, and sends them to the satellite TV broadcast reception tuner / decoder 15. The satellite broadcast reception tuner / decoder 15 receives the video and audio signals from the TV radio waves. Is taken out and converted as it is as a video signal and an audio signal, or converted again to a frequency that can be received by the TV receiver and sent to the TV receiver.

This satellite TV broadcasting system itself is the same as the conventional one, but in this satellite TV broadcasting, the program to be broadcast is scrambled, and a specific viewer who has a viewing permission code for descrambling. Only can watch TV programs.

In the CATV system 2, 21 is C
ATV transmission center, 22 is a coaxial cable or optical fiber cable for transmitting TV signals, and 23 is CATV
An adapter / decoder, which is a CATV adapter / decoder that extracts a video signal and an audio signal from a CATV signal and descrambles the decoded signal, and can directly receive the video signal and the audio signal or a TV receiver. Convert the frequency again and send it to the TV receiver.

In the character multiplex broadcasting system 3, 31 is a terrestrial character multiplex broadcasting station for transmitting a TV signal obtained by multiplexing a character signal to a TV program as a terrestrial TV radio wave from a TV transmitting antenna 32. Wave TV wave is T
The character multiplex signal is received by the V radio wave receiving antenna 33, the character multiplex signal is taken out from the TV signal by the character multiplex adapter 34, and the display devices 35, 35, 35 such as a video monitor, an LED display device, an LCD display device, a display phone, and a personal computer display device. Deliver to ...

On the other hand, the billing system 4 includes a billing center 4
1, a public telephone line 42 and a data communication device 43. In this billing system 4, a person who wants to watch a pay program is a data communication device 4 such as a display phone.
3 is used to make a viewing application to the charging center 41 via the public telephone line 42. When the viewer of the pay program makes a viewing application, the billing center 41 transmits a viewing permission code for viewing the pay program to the data communication device 43.

The viewing permission code transmitted to the data communication device 43 is sent online through a parallel data communication line, an RS232C standard serial data communication line, or an ordinary public telephone line using a modem, or an IC card, a memory card, or the like. Off-line, satellite broadcasting tuner / decoder 15, CAT by semiconductor memory device or magnetic memory device such as magnetic card, magnetic disk, etc.
It is sent to the V adapter / decoder 23 or the character multiplex adapter.

The satellite broadcasting tuner / decoder 15 and the CATV adapter / decoder 23 which have received the viewing permission code
Alternatively, the character multiplex adapter 34 descrambles the program assigned with the program code corresponding to the viewing permission code, and sends the TV signal to the TV receiver 16 or 24.
The character signal is sent to the display devices 35, 35, 35, ...
A viewable image is displayed on the V receiver 16 or 24, and a character signal is displayed on the display devices 35, 35, 35 ....

On the other hand, from the satellite broadcasting ground station 11, the CATV center 21 or the terrestrial broadcasting station 31, the charge of each pay program and the viewing permission code of each pay program are sent in advance to the charge center 41, and the charge is charged. The center sends the viewing permission code to the viewer who has applied for viewing, and collects the charges on behalf of the satellite broadcasting ground station 11, the CATV center 21, or the terrestrial broadcasting station 31.
According to this method, it is difficult to decipher the scramble code, and even if the broadcast time is changed, the viewer who made the application can view it.

In order to realize the pay-per-view, different program codes are given to each program in the above embodiment,
The viewing permission code is given for each program. This method is reliable, but if you want to view other programs, such as daily, weekly, monthly, or continuous programs that are broadcast at the same time every day, the viewing application procedure is complicated. Is.

For that purpose, if the program code is configured to include data such as month, week and day, and the viewing permission code is also included data such as month, week and day, Can deal with such situations.

Further, a plurality of scramble patterns are prepared, the program code includes the scramble pattern code, and the viewing permission code also includes the scramble pattern code information. Only when these match, the scramble pattern is scrambled. It is virtually impossible to decipher the scrambling method if it is possible to cancel.

If the encryption method described in Japanese Patent Application No. 4-164380, which was invented by the inventor of the present invention and previously filed by the applicant of the present application, is used as the scramble code generating means, the scramble code is safe. Sex becomes more certain.

In addition to the combination of the program code and the viewing permission code described in the above embodiment, as a method of descrambling in program units, the same descrambling code is always used, and the descrambling code is broadcasted. There is a method to enable it on an hourly basis.
This method is the simplest method, but when the broadcast time of the program is changed, the viewer who has made a contract may not be able to view the program. Further, since the same scramble code is always used, the scramble code can be easily decoded.

As a simpler method, it is possible that the charging center sets a usable amount of money for the viewer, such as a prepaid card, so that the user can watch within the range of the usable amount.

As a billing center, there are a charge collection agent system by a public telephone line operator, a charge collection agent system by a computer communication carrier, a charge collection agent system by a bank, and the like.

In the above embodiment, the data communication device 4
Although a display phone is used as 3, a data communication device must be connected to a telephone such as a touch-tone phone or a mobile phone, and a device such as a personal computer or a word processor to which a modem is connected. Is also possible. In particular, it is possible to mount a mobile phone on an automobile and control a TV receiver or a character multiplex broadcast receiving device mounted on the automobile in the same manner.

In the above-mentioned embodiments, the billing system for TV broadcasting has been explained. However, this system is another information transmission means which is required to be billed for each program, such as voice broadcasting or data broadcasting / data. The present invention can also be applied to broadcasting / communication means using satellites for communication, or various broadcasting / communication means using terrestrial waves such as data broadcasting / data communication such as voice broadcasting or FM multiplex broadcasting.

When applying for viewing the program,
If a program code system recently used for VTR recording is used, it is possible to make a program viewing application more simply.

The method of including the program code in the broadcast program described in the above embodiment is such that the program code is monitored on the receiving side, and VTR recording or TV image reception is controlled by the program code. Thus, more reliable VTR recording or TV image reception can be performed.

[0035]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the billing system of the present invention, individual billing systems that cannot be solved by these conventional techniques do not require comprehensive contracts. Not only can the so-called "pay-per-view" of receiving a program for a fee be realized, but the charging system of the present invention collects charges reliably without requiring human labor as compared with the conventional method. be able to

[Brief description of drawings]

 1 is a system schematic diagram of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 satellite TV broadcasting system 2 CATV system 3 character multiplex broadcasting system 4 billing system

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A billing center is provided for a pay program viewing application to a data communication device in response to a pay program viewing application made from a pay program viewing applicant using a data communication device via a public telephone line. The TV billing system is characterized in that the viewing device transmits the viewing permission code and collects the fee, and the receiving device receiving the viewing permission code displays the TV image on the TV receiver according to the viewing permission code. 2. A billing center distributes a teletext program to a data communication device in response to a teletext program distribution application made from a teletext program distributor using a data communication device via a public telephone line. The TV billing system is characterized by transmitting a distribution permission code to collect the charges and collecting the fee, and the teletext receiving device that has received the distribution permission code distributes the teletext image according to the distribution permission code.