Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H40/00—Arrangements specially adapted for receiving broadcast information
  • H04H40/09—Arrangements for receiving desired information automatically according to timetables
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/09—Arrangements for device control with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time; Arrangements for control of broadcast-related services
  • H04H60/14—Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services
  • H04H60/15—Arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services on receiving information
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N1/00—Scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission; Details thereof
  • H04N1/00095—Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal
  • H04N1/00098—Systems or arrangements for the transmission of the picture signal via a television channel, e.g. for a series of still pictures with or without sound
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
  • H04N7/00—Television systems
  • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
  • H04N7/162—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
  • H04N7/163—Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing by receiver means only
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H2201/00—Aspects of broadcast communication
  • H04H2201/70—Aspects of broadcast communication characterised in that receivers can be addressed
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04H—BROADCAST COMMUNICATION
  • H04H60/00—Arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linking to broadcast information or broadcast space-time; Broadcast-related systems
  • H04H60/68—Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information
  • H04H60/71—Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information using meteorological information

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for selectively transmitting information.
• the invention relates to a method of transmitting with the aid of radio, wireless, transmission means different types of information to a large number of subscribers that have equipment which is capable of receiving information on their respective television sets, and there ⁇ with enable a given subscriber to subscribe solely to a given amount of the information transmitted.
• the transmitted information may be of any nature whatsoever, for instance news, advertisements, stock exchange informa ⁇ tion, weather forecasts, etc.
• a subscriber will have to this end a radio receiver in the form of a decoder which decodes a received radio signal and converts the signal to a video signal which is applied to the antenna input of a television set.
• One problem in this regard is that a subscriber would be able to receive all of the information transmitted unless the decoder is provided with a lockout device which enables solely information to which the subscriber has subscribed to be received.
• This problem could be solved, for instance, by issuing the subscriber with a card, such as a smart card, which is inserted by the subscriber into and read by the decoder, where the information read from the card discloses the nature of the information to which the subscriber has subscribed.
• the decoder would therewith be adapted to receive solely such information.
• a system of this kind resembles the system in which subscriptions are paid for certain satellite television channels.
• the present invention eliminates these drawbacks and provides a very simple method in this regard.
• the present invention thus relates to a method of selectively transmitting information via radio transmitters, wherein a subscriber has a radio receiver which includes a decoder that is able to decode a received radio signal and convert this signal to a video signal which is applied to the antenna input of a television set, and wherein the method is charac ⁇ terized by transmitting one or more services in the form of information where each transmitted service includes a code for the service concerned; transmitting a signal which includes an identi ication code for a given specific receiver and a service code for each of the services that can be received, such that the subscriber is able to receive a subscribed service; and by causing the decoder to store said service code and causing the decoder to decode solely the information that is applicable to a stored service code.
• the inventive method for selectively transmitting informa ⁇ tion relates to the transmission of signals via a radio transmitter.
• Each subscriber which is to receive information has a radio receiver l which includes a decoder 2 that is capable of decoding a received radio signal and converting this signal to a video signal.
• the video signal is applied to the antenna input 4 of a television set 3.
• the radio receiver is connected to a receiving antenna 5.
• the radio receiver is conveniently constructed to form a single unit with the decoder, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 1.
• the radio receiver may also be designed so that the antenna cable 6 which extends from a typical television antenna 7 will enter the radio receiver, and such that solely a cable 8 extends from the radio receiver to the television set.
• the radio receiver may be designed to deliver the video signal to the television set through the cable 8 only when the radio receiver is switched on, and to deliver the antenna signal in the cable 6 through the cable 8 when the radio receiver is switched off.
• the radio receiver When the radio receiver is switched on and receives a radio signal pertaining to information to which the subscriber has subscribed, the video signal is sent to the television set and said information is shown on the television screen.
• This information may have the form of text and/or pictures (graphics) .
• the decoder 2 includes a computer in which decoding software is installed.
• the computer also includes a memory in which received information can be stored. All information received will preferably be stored in the memory, so that the sub ⁇ scriber can subsequently choose the information he/she wishes to see.
• Information selection can appropriately be implement ⁇ ed with the aid of a subscriber-operated remote control device 9 whose signals are received by the decoder.
• different types of information may have a three digit code number which is transmitted by the subscriber to the decoder with the aid of the remote control device, i.e. a system of the same kind as that used in commercially avail ⁇ able text TV systems.
• one or more information services are transmitted, where each service transmitted includes and is tied to a code for the service concerned.
• each service transmitted includes and is tied to a code for the service concerned.
• there is trans ⁇ mitted a signal which includes an identification code for a given specific receiver and a service code for each of the services that can be received.
• the decoder is caused to store the service code.
• the decoder is also caused to decode solely the information that belongs to a stored service code.
• each receiver has a specific identification code stored in the computer.
• the identification code of the received signal is compared with the stored code.
• the computer memory is opened for insertion of one or more service codes corresponding to the service or services to which the subscriber has sub ⁇ scribed.
• the service code that corresponds to the information concerned is transmitted prior to the actual information itself.
• Information is sent simultaneously to a large number of receivers.
• An identifica ⁇ tion code which is common to all receivers or a given group of receivers can then be sent instead of a specific identifi ⁇ cation code, this common identification code being compared with a computer-stored code which allows the service code carried by the signal to be received.
• the service code is received upon receipt of a signal which does not include a specific identification code.
• the received service code is compared with the service codes earlier stored in the computer, so as to establish whether or not the subscriber has subscribed to the service concerned.
• the information is decoded when it is established that the subscriber has subscribed to said service and will not be decoded when the opposite is the case.
• an identification code which is common to a given group of receivers can be trans ⁇ mitted instead of a specific identification code.
• a code which relates to a given geographical area or region is sent in conjunction with the transmission of a service code. This enables certain types of information, such as locally pertinent information, for instance local weather reports, to be directed to subscribers within the local region.
• the geographical regional code includes the postal number or post code of the region concerned or a part of said number or code.
• part of the postal number, or post code is meant for instance a five-digit number relating to a given region or area, whereas the first three digits are common to the region and a number of regions bordering thereon.
• a code 18100 may refer to all regions whose postal numbers begin with 181.
• a transmitted signal may first include an identifica- tion code of a specific or general nature, followed by a service code which is, in turn, followed by a code relating to a given geographical region or area, and finally with the actual information.
• an RIC signal Radio Identification Code
• RIC signal Radio Identification Code
• a time signal is preferably sent prior to the identification code. This will thus provide the decoder with information concerning the current date and time. This information is used to control the time during which a given subscription shall apply.
• the decoder is thus caused to receive a time signal.
• information is sent to the decoder relating to the time period during which the subscription to the service concerned in conjunction with transmitting said identification code and said service code.
• This subscription period or term is stored in the computer memory.
• the decoder will be caused to no longer decode information for which the subscription has expired. This can be achieved conveniently by erasing the service code concerned from the computer memory.
• the identifi ⁇ ation code and service code are sent periodically at given time intervals, wherein the decoder is caused to decode solely received information relating to said service code over a period of time that corresponds to said time interval.
• the time interval may be five minutes, for instance.
• relevant subscribers are updated every five minutes.
• the time interval may be of longer duration, for instance one calendar day.
• the present invention thus enables different types of information to be transmitted nationwide over an existing mini-call network, for instance. Despite nationwide transmis ⁇ sion, each individual receiver can be programmed, in the aforedescribed manner by transmitting on the network, to decode a certain part of the information by transmitting its identification code and information relating to a service code or codes.
• the receipt of information in a given geographical region or area can be controlled by transmitting said code to this end.

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20398118

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (4)

Family Cites Families (20)

• 1995
  • 1995-04-27 SE SE9501566A patent/SE504237C2/sv active IP Right Maintenance
• 1996
  • 1996-04-17 JP JP8532417A patent/JPH11501480A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-04-17 EP EP96912364A patent/EP0823180A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1996-04-17 WO PCT/SE1996/000492 patent/WO1996034493A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-04-17 AU AU55199/96A patent/AU5519996A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1996-04-17 CN CN96193520A patent/CN1182516A/zh active Pending
• 1997
  • 1997-10-24 NO NO974917A patent/NO974917L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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